E179 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDD0E73703b 







' "^^^.^ 







^ °** A^ ^ ♦TXT* ^ 





































V,^** /aWa-o "^^ .♦* /: 




"•#• 

^ 



WORDS AND MUSIC OF 

*'THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER'* 

OPPOSE THE 

SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY 

WHICH THE 

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 

EMBODIES 



A PROTEST 

BY 

KITTY CHEATHAM 



Copyright, 1918, 

by 
Kitty Cheatham. 



''^ 



WORDS AND MUSIC 
^ OF 

D? '*THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER" 

^» OPPOSE THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY 
WHICH 
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 
EMBODIES* 



I AM impelled, by honest conviction, to request 
3'^ou to permit me to speak through your valu- 
able columns upon a subject which has been 
concerning me deeply for some time, but more 
especially of late, when the great spiritual import 
of this moment in the world's history forces itself 
upon me and also the deep significance of the 
part America is called upon to play in its solu- 
tion. It is "The Star-Spangled Banner" to which 
I wish to call your attention. 

I am a patriotic American citizen, whose fam- 
ily has been represented in much of the earlier 
and later pioneer work of our beloved nation, 
in building up and sustaining its highest his- 
torical, political and spiritual ideals, which ideals 
I have always endeavored to support and ex- 
press. In this crucial hour I feel warranted in 
protesting against the representation of our nation 
through a national hymn, by sentiments which 
came forth at an hour when disruption threat- 
ened to separate nations and which sentiments 
are opposed to the oneness we must finally at- 
tain, viz., the inseparable unity of Great Britain 
and America. 

To keep alive the emotion which this hjrmn 

♦Excerpts from this article appeared in "The 
New York Times" of Sunday, Feb. 10, 1918, an^ 
the entire article was published in "Musical 
America," March 2, 1918. 



expresses appears to me to prevent Great Brit- 
ain and America from being Allies in the true 
sense. We must forget "those things which are 
behind" and recognize ourselves as brothers. 
Through the insistence of a large part of our 
people upon the use of "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" and teaching it to our children — our future 
citizens — we, as a nation, are responsible for 
perpetuating the remembrance of the schism 
of war, which long ago should have been for- 
gotten. 

In defense of my own convictions as to my 
resistance to this hymn and my use of it in 
my public work, against which my soul revolts, 
I am writing you, and also because for years 
I have consecrated my efforts to the elevation 
of the highest ideals both for children and 
the "children of a larger growth." 

When I stand before an audience of thousands 
and lead them in singing "The Star-Spangled 
Banner," because I refrain from depriving any 
man of what he has accepted as his highest 
symbol of patriotism, my nobler self sternly 
rebukes me with "to thine own self be true," 
and I hesitate to influence others to recall the 
unbrotherly contention between Great Britain 
and America, which occurred more than a cen- 
tury ago. 

In Defense of a Principle 

I strengthen my convictions that I am a 
whole-hearted patriot, and that by my protest 
I am standing in defense of a principle, by re- 
calling the part that my immediate ancestors, 
who were of English and Scotch descent, played 
in the early pioneer struggles of this nation, 
against their own English ancestry, which held 
them under the rule of human autocracy. 

Both my maternal and paternal ancestors 
were among the early Virginia colonists, the 
present site of Yorktown, Va., being the former 
home of Captain Nicholas Martian of my 
mother's family. He was Justice of York, Bur- 
gess for York and Kisk>'ache, and various other 



official duties made him a useful and valuable 
citizen of early colonial days. His descendant, 
Colonel George Reade, who came to America 
in 1637, was secretary to the Colony of Virginia 
in 1640, member of His Majesty's Council and 
Colonel of militia. His daughter, Mildred Reade, 
married Colonel Augustine Warner, also Burgess, 
Speaker of the House of Burgesses, member of 
the Council and Colonel of militia. Their daugh- 
ter, Mildred Warner, married Lawrence Wash- 
ington, and they were the grandparents of 
George Washington, the first President of the 
United States of America. 

Continuing my maternal ancestry. Colonel 
Charles Lewis, cousin of George Washington, 
married Isabella Willis, daughter of Colonel 
Henry Willis, the founder of Fredericksburg, Va. 

M}' paternal ancestor. General Richard Cheat- 
ham, a descendant of Sir Geoffrey Cheatham, 
who represented the Borough of Cheatham in 
the Enghsh Parliament in 1500, came from 
Virginia with his six brothers as pioneers to 
Tennessee, which State thev helped to settle, 
and whose institutions and laws they were 
largely instrumental in formulating. 

My great grandfather. General Archibald 
Cheatham, was by General Jackson's side at 
the battle of New Orleans. Right here let rne 
repeat a httle incident which was characteristic 
of the antipathy which existed between Great 
Britain and America at that hour, and which 
General Jackson, with his keen sense of humor, 
took great delight in having "Uncle Alfred," 
his faithful body-servant, repeat to distinguished 
visitors, both English and American, who visited 
the "Hermitage." his historic home near Nash- 
ville, Tennessee. 

Perhaps it would be interesting to tell this 
story in "Uncle Alfred's" own language of a 
message which was sent by General Pecken- 
ham, in command of the British forces, to G€n- 
eral Jackson, the day before the battle of Ne\v 
Orleans : "Gin'r'l Peckenham sont word to Gin'r'l 
Jackson to say dat he specs he gwine eat his 



dinner in New Orleans termorrow night. Den 
ma Gin'r'l sont back de word to Gin'r'l Pecken- 
ham. dat ef he gwinc cat dinner any whar, he 
gwine eat dinner in hell." We hope "Uncle 
Alfred," who lived to be nearly a hundred, 
was not encouraged to repeat this story by some 
of the sentiments expressed in "The Star- 
Spangled Banner." 

My grandfather, General Richard Cheatham, 
was a fighter for truth and justice on all lines. 
My father. Colonel Richard Boone Cheatham, 
surrendered Nashville, ni}"^ birthplace, to Gen- 
eral Bucll, during our Civil War. My cousin, 
Lieutenanl-Colonel Benjamin Franklin Cheat- 
ham, a son of the beloved General Frank Cheat- 
ham, known as "Fighting Frank," is with Gen- 
eral Per-^hing in France. His brother, Pay- 
master Johnson Cheatham, is in the navy, and 
fourteen other relatives are serving their coun- 
try actively in the army and navy abroad and 
here at the present time. 

I reluctantly mention these facts in order 
to emphasize my persuasion that I have a legiti- 
mate right to raise my voice in protest and 
without prejudice against the adoption and 
perpetuation of a national anthem which was 
inspired by victory over Great Britain during 
our bitter struggle of 1812. The memory of 
this conflict, as I have previovisly stated, we 
must today endeavor to obliterate, as the com- 
plete union of the Anglo-Saxon race must sooner 
or later be established. 

A Biblical Parallel 

From Biblical history we learn that England 
and America typify Ephraim and Manasseh, the 
two sons of Joseph whom Jacob blessed. Until 
they recognize themselves as brethren under 
the law of the God of Abraham, Isaac and 
Jacob — which law must be fulfilled through the 
love which was exemplified in the life works 
of Christ Jesus — until this law of love unites 
Great Britain and America, war will not cease, 



and the true brotherhood of man will not be 
established throughout the world. 

Just here permit me to quote this immortal 
expression from President Wilson's great mes- 
sage of January 8, 1918: "The day of conquest 
and aggrandizement has gone by." With these 
spoken words of solemn import, coming at this 
hour from our highest Executive, who voiced 
the sentiments of the American people, I ask, 
can we, as patriotic American citizens, as 
Allies of Great Britain, sing such words as : 

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of 

the deep 
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence 

reposes. 

Do these sentiments breathe union? Shall we 
today refer to our brother, Great Britain 
(Ephraim), as "the foe's haughty host"? Is 
my resistance to the use of these words, during 
my public recitals, justifiable? I have been in- 
vited to unite with a society whose purpose it 
is to insist upon every one's knowing all the 
words of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and our 
■other national songs. 

President Wilson also said in his message to 
Congress of December 4th, 1917 : 

We are the spokesmen of the American 
people and they have a right to know 
whether their purpose is ours. . . . They 
desire peace by the overcoming of evil, 
by the defeat once for all, of the sinister 
forces that interrupt peace and render it 
impossible. . . . The supreme moment 
of history has come. The eyes of the 
people have been opened and they see. 
The hand of God is laid upon the nations. 
He will show them favor, I devoutly be- 
lieve, only if they rise to His great heights 
of justice and mercy. 

And again in his message of January 8th, 



1918, he says, in referring to the situation in 
Russia : 

It is . . . this happy fact, now clear 
to the view of every public man whose 
thoughts do not still linger in an age that 
is dead and gone. 

It behooves the people of America not to 
"linger in an age that is dead and gone." I 
believe these words were God-inspired. Let 
us list to this clarion call, and cease singing of 
a "dawn's early light," whose true radiance 
has been obscured by "the sinister forces that 
interrupt peace and render it impossible" 
(President Wilson's message, Dec. 4, 1917). The 
"bombs bursting in air and rockets' red glare'" 
of a dead past can no longer disrupt Anglo- 
Saxon unity, nor continue its schismatic in- 
fluence against ultimate world-wide unity — uni- 
versal divine democracy — which is fast appear- 
ing in the dawn of a new era whose imminence 
is prophetically stated in President Wilson's in- 
sistence upon the necessity for the rising of alt 
nations "to His [God's] great heights of justice 
and mercy." 

Lloyd George's Significant Message 

Let me here quote these words from an edi- 
torial in "The Evening Sun" of December 3rd, 
relative to Mr. Lloyd George's significant mes- 
sage of December 1st, 1917 : 

The England that is voicing the en- 
lightened purposes of Christendom today 
is the England of Channing, which re- 
volted against the blind tyranny of the 
Holy Alliance and asserted, at least in 
principle, the rights of small nations and 
all nations to work out their own des- 
tinies according to their own instincts and 
conceptions. Thus we find England to- 
day with both hands extended toward 
Germany, in the one a sword longer and 
sharper than any she has yet wielded in 



the shambles of the Western trench line; 
in the other an olive branch, whose leaves 
shine with reflections from the light of 
liberal thought and magnanimous intent. 

The sword to which Mr. Lloyd George refers 
is the two-edged sword to which Paul alludes, 
the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, with 
which Christ will end all wars. The significance 
of these spiritual messages, given to a world 
held in tyrannous bonds of oppression and fear 
— given through the highest representatives of 
America and Great Britain, cannot be over- 
estimated. They are prophetic of the hour, when 
England and America, forgetting past differences 
will unite, as representative sons of Joseph. 

America will bless the nations — restore to 
them their birthright of "Life, Liberty and the 
pursuit of Happiness" — will lead all who are 
awake to the significance of this unparalleled 
hour of horror, in the final struggle for victory 
over the forces of evil and the revelation of 
"peace on earth, good will toward men," when 
Truth shall be no longer "on the scaffold," but 
shall reign forever upon the throne of God. 

Although of Southern birth, I have always 
protested against human slavery, whether physi- 
cal or mental. Throughout my public and 
private utterances I have advocated' divine de- 
mocracy and shall continue to differentiate be- 
tween it and. human democracy, which unless 
opposed by righteous women and men ultimates 
in human autocrac}'. Divine democracy, the law 
of right, truth, justice and mercy, will finally 
govern all nations upon the earth, hence the 
necessity of a national anthem which expresses 
this divine democracy. 



10 



The Following Article Was Written 
June 22, 1918 

American citizenship is the highest symbol 
we have of divine democracy, in which all men 
are created equal. This spirit of democracy, 
which impelled the founders of this nation to 
rebel against autocracy and tyranny, is not rep- 
resented by "The Star-Spangled Banner." Amer- 
ica is a great nation, and is equal to meet the 
demands of her people to produce a national 
anthem which will represent and honor her, and 
which will be American in origin and sentiment. 

It is not diffcult to understand why the 
American people, whose pioneer hunger for lib- 
erty, blazed forth in their glorious struggles for 
religious freedom : it is not difficult to under- 
stand why they not only resist learning and 
singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," but, up to 
the present time, have refused to establish it 
as the national hymn of America. The cease- 
less yearning for the inalienable rights and 
"liberty of the sons of God," which gave birth 
to our Republic, is still the vox populi of 
America, which was founded on religious aspira- 
tions, developed by religious conviction, and can 
only advance under the leadership of spiritual 
ideals. Our national voice cannot, will not be 
hushed in its legitimate protest against the 
adoption of a national anthem, whose origin 
is the antithesis of the light upon which this 
nation was founded, and which our flag 55^1- 
bolizes — true democracy. 

It is significant to note just here that three 
hundred years ago a brilliant star (Keppler's) 
appeared in the heavens, at the time that the 
Pilgrims were making their greatest struggles 



11 

for freedom, in England, and were prepafing 
for their exodus from the bondage of despotism 
and European autocracy. The first successful 
EngHsh settlement of this nation, at Jamestown, 
Virginia, and the beginning of the Colony of 
Virginia, also occurred at this time — 1607. 

The /Vmerican Congress, on June 14, 1777. re- 
solved that our flag of alternate stars and 
stripes should express unity through its stars, 
"white in a blue field, representing a new con- 
stellation." The constellation Lyra (lyre, harp), 
typifying harmony and unity, probably suggested 
the adoption of stars to represent a new group 
of states among the nations. 

The wise men of that day saw the significance 
of the star in our flag, with its beautiful sym- 
bolism of the light which guided our Pilgrim 
forefathers and mothers in 1620 to the establish- 
ment of a nation on these shores, which nation 
was founded on the rock, Christ, Truth. 

This guiding star — the light of truth and 
brotherly love — shone with increasing radiance, 
in 1776, as it approached the cradle of our new- 
born republic. Its undimmed lustre guided the 
fathers of our infant nation and the creators 
and signers of our Declaration of Independence, 
just as clearly as the star in the East two thou- 
sand years ago, led the wise men to the cradle 
of Christ Jesus, the Son of God, the Light of 
the world. One hundred and forty-two years 
later, on June 8, 1918, again appeared a new 
star. I quote from an article by Isabel M. Lewis 
of the "Nautical Alumnae" of the U. S. Naval 
Observatory, which appeared in "The Evening 
Sun" of June 15th : 

There suddenly appeared in the heavens, 
in the constellation of Aquila, the Eagle, 
the most brilliant temporary star or Nova, 
that has been seen since Keppler's star 
suddenly flashed into view in 1604, more 
than three hundred years ago. . . . On 
June 3, 1918, this wonderful star possessed 
its normal brightness, for the past thirty 



12 

years having appeared as a faint star of 
the eleventh magnitude. Because of 
clouds, no plates were exposed on June 
4th, 5th and 6th. On June 7th, the star 
appeared as a sixth magnitude star just 
at the hmit of visibility to the unaided 
eye. Its brightness has, therefore, in- 
creased more than one hundredfold in less 
than four days. On June 8th, the memor- 
able day of its discovery, it had become 
a star of the — 5 magnitude, and was a 
magnificent blue white star, . . . shin- 
ing all the more resplendently since it ap- 
peared in a part of the heavens where few 
first magnitude stars appear. 

Of parallel significance is the fact that x^mer- 
ica's first victory in this world-war, won through 
the magnificent bravery of the United States 
Marine Corps in France, occurred during the 
week of June 3rd, as the light of the new star 
gradually revealed itself. The culmination of this 
victory came on June 8th, when this new 
heavenly visitant burst forth in unprecedented 
radiance, and on June 9th, when it attained 
what now appears to have been its maximum 
brightness. 

To the wise men of today, those who are 
reading the signs of the times and the signs of 
the heavens — those who know the noble signi- 
ficance of the Great Seal of America, this latest 
phenomenon, the appearing of the "new blue 
white eagle star" (Nova Aquila) — number three, 
portends the imminence of a great light which 
will burst forth in our national consciousness. 
(The number three signifies completeness.) This 
third great star — this trinity of light — indicates 
the coming of the "Prince of Peace," who will 
rule all nations with the light of justice, truth 
and love. This light will be visible to all who 
have eyes (spiritual discernment) to see, and 
will express itself in a new national anthem 
whose harmony will be heard not only nation- 
ally, but universally. It will proclaim the senti- 



13 

merits of the true American, loyal to the spirit 
of 1776. The spirit of true democracy and the 
brotherhood of man must find utterance through 
Americans in a national anthem, which will 
emanate from the same spiritual impulsion that 
actuated our forefathers and mothers. Just 
here it is well to remember that the first white 
man to put foot on this American continent was 
the Norseman, Lief Ericson, who planted his 
standard about the year 1,000, near New Bed- 
ford, Mass., and we learn from historical au- 
thorities that even then he came "to attempt 
to establish Christianity." It is significant to 
note that the first report of this discovery of 
the new star came from Massachusetts. Fur- 
ther quoting from the official report of the 
Naval Observatory, we learn that "the exact 
cause of the sudden and tremendous increase 
in the light-giving powers of the star are still 
in doubt." 

I repeat, those who read the signs of the 
times are not in doubt as to the tremendous 
increase of light — the increase of spiritual 
power, which will bring this world-war to an 
end. It is the second appearing of Truth and 
will ultimately reveal to the world the eternal 
fact, that America is the birth-place of this 
second coming. The star of Bethlehem has 
been the guiding light throughout the ages. 
This nation's God-appointed mission is to radi- 
ate unceasingly the light that gave it birth ; 
to draw unto itself its "sons from afar" and 
its "daughters from the ends of th^ earth" 
(Isaiah 43:6) who are seeking the "glorious lib- 
erty of the children of God" — their legitimate 
divine birthright of spiritual freedom — divine 
democracy. 

The word flag is derived from a root signify- 
ing to fly. Can our flag, with its shining stars, 
which symbolize life, light, liberty, loyalty and 
heavenly harmony, and which must be a beacon 
light to the suffering nations of the world, be 
logically unfurled to music which came from 
darkness and bestiality? 



14 

The music of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is 
the music of an old English drinking song, 
written for the Anacreontic Society of London, 
about the time our ancestors were struggling 
to break the shackles which fettered them to 
European autocracy, and which prevented them 
from worshipping God according to the dic- 
tates of their own conscience. This song was 
sung during their "frequent convivial meetings 
at the Crown and Anchor tavern." Later it 
was famous and in constant use in all the 
celebrated taverns in London and throughout 
Great Britain. The original verses of the music 
of "The Star-Spangled Banner," entitled "To 
Anacreon in Heaven," pay tribute to Anacreon, 
a court singer and poet of ancient Greece, whose 
royal appointment was due to his special 
ability to glorify, in song, Venus, Bacchus, and 
other heathen gods and goddesses. No idola- 
trous royal feast was complete without his 
presence. The Belshazzars of that epoch per- 
petuated his memory by a statue raised to him 
in the Acropolis at Athens in a "state of vinous 
hilarity." 

The loyal Americans of this hour, who retain 
and defend the spirit of 1776, the spirit of the 
Pilgrim Fathers, who planted on this soil the 
standard of liberty and "freedom to worship 
God," indignantly protest, rebel, against the 
perpetuation of "The Star-Spangled Banner," be- 
cause it is not American, because it is of 
Bacchanalian origin, and because, metaphysi- 
cally, it can never be separated from the mental 
influence which it exhales and by which those 
who sing it are more or less mentally in- 
occulated. It is deadly in its insidious mental 
poison and is the camouflage of the life-giving 
power of the great Principle upon which this 
nation is founded. 

Our great "drive" for spiritual liberty cannot 
be impeded in its on-coming might by singing 
of "bombs bursting in air," suggesting destruc- 
tion and death, "rockets' red glare," and their 
silent ancestor, Anacreon. Let us not forget 



15 

that Anglo-Saxon unity must be divinely estab- 
lished before this barbarous massacre of human 
beings can be brought to an end. This mighty 
spiritual struggle for emancipation from ma- 
terial autocracy, as opposed to divine autoc- 
racy — the law of God — is being retarded every 
time "The Star-Spangled Banner" is sung, with 
its allusion to England as the "foe's haughty 
host, . . . whose blood has washed out their 
foul footsteps' pollution." 

While I would not detract from the spirit of 
patriotism which incited Francis Scott Key to 
write his verses, and set them to this music, 
we need to remember that we are advancing 
at a tremendous rate of spiritual unfoldment. 
The law of progress is divine and immutable. 
The conditions and demands of this vital hour 
in the history of the world, are not those of a 
century ago, and the twentieth century true 
American refuses to conform to these demands. 

They must upward still and onward, 
Who would keep abreast of Truth. 

— Lowell. 

This hour is one of revelation, bringing the 
absolute necessity for purity of purpose, 
righteousness of action — in fact, what America 
professes to stand for and is fighting for today, 
which is held up in this international warfare 
for other nations to adopt— a true idealism, 
divine democracy. 

I again emphasize the fact that "The Star- 
Spangled Banner" in every way expresses the 
opposite of these ideals. 

I quote a few excerpts from the six original 
verses written as a tribute to the Greek idolater 
and entitled : 

"To Anacreon in Heaven" 

Each verse ends with a repetition of "Entwine 
the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' vine." We, 
as Americans, are singing "The Star-Spangled 
Banner" to the music originally set to these 
words: 



16 

To Anacrcon in Heav'n, where he sat in full 

glee, 
A few sons of harmony sent a petition, 
That he their inspirer and patron would be; 
When this answer arrived from this jolly old 

Grecian. 
Voice, fiddle and flute, 
No longer be mute, 

T lend ye my name, and inspire ye to boot; 
And beside, I will instruct ye like me to 

entwine, 
The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' vine. 

The yellow hair'd god and his nine fusty maids. 
To the hill of old Lud will incontinent flee . . . 



Next Momus got up with his risible phiz. 
And swore with ^^pollo he'd cheerfully join . . . 

An»d swear, by old Styx, that they long should 

entwine 
The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' vine. 

Let Americans question the subtle influence 
which induced them to accept, temporarily, as 
the sentiments of the American people, that 
which is so contrary to the spirit of the Pil- 
grim Fathers, who established this nation. What 
influenced Americans to endorse the music 
which came forth as a tribute to a pagan idola- 
ter? What caused them to repudiate the spirit 
which actuated our forefathers to build this 
nation upon the rock — Christ — Truth ?^ The cor- 
ner-stone of their building was, is, Christ. 
"Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is lib- 
erty" (II Corinthians 3:17). Why are true 
Americans today strenuously resisting this 
Bacdianalian song, with its unceasing insist- 
ence upon inseparably entwining "the myrtle 
of Venus with Bacchus' vine" with our flag. 
which flag represents our national standard? 

It is the same conflict between spirituality 
and materiality that has caused every war in the 



17 

history of the world. "To be carnally minded 
is death." "To be spiritually minded is life and 
peace," St. Paul declared. America is the spirit- 
ual battle-ground, where the mental combat — 
Armageddon — is today being fought. Only 
consecrated warriors for true democracy can 
enter this arena of conflict and win the victory 
— the supremacy of Truth. 

It may not be inappropriate to quote, just 
here, Washington's immortal words, spoken at 
the great Constitutional Convention at Philadel- 
phia, 1787 : "Let us raise a standard to which 
the wise and honest can repair. The event is in 
the hands of God." Is this standard — or flag — 
raised, uplifted, when "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" is sung? America must produce its own 
national anthem, or we are again under the 
bondage of heathen mythology and European 
autocracy. This country will not be free until 
she expresses herself in her own anthem, which 
will be born of American high ideals, and which 
will make good her claim to the right to wor- 
ship God according to the dictates of her own 
conscience. This consciousness, in the Pilgrim 
Fathers, resisted bondage to heathen gods, and 
they trusted the word of God, found in Exodus 
20: "I am the Lord thy God, which have 
'brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of 
the house of bondage." "Thoii shalt have no 
other gods before me [Spirit — God]," was the 
spiritual ensign which was ever uplifted by our 
forefathers and mothers in their struggle for 
liberty — harmony. Its mighty power inspired, 
guided, strengthened and sustained them in their 
pioneer efforts to establish this nation. This 
ensign or standard cannot be lowered by asso- 
ciation with and perpetuation of a tribute to a 
bestial pagan hero, whose claim to fame is 
based upon the very qualities that moved these 
intrepid fi^ghters for divine democracy to rebel, 
and leave their native land. 

They sought in America a resting place, a 
new world, which meant to them freedom and 
the right to worship God. Americans today 



18 

fully realize the tremendous import of their 
(the Pilgrim Fathers) exodus from "the lana 
of Egypt^the house of bondage" — autocracy 
and despotism — into the promised land, Amer- 
ica. Progress forces obedience to the law of 
God, and will compel the true American to 
restore this pioneer spirit, the spirit of 76, and 
America will continue to remain a nation under 
the guidance of the God of our fathers. This 
guidance has resulted in a great and prosperous 
nation, capable of producing its own national 
anthem. 

Only those who are dwelling in the same 
"house of bondage" today can wish to degrade 
our beloved country by their insistence in 
clinging tenaciously to "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner," and their stubborn resistance to the na- 
tional demand for a national anthem, which in 
divine law and order can only come forth from 
the same fountain-source of inspiration from 
which this nation drew its existence. 

Again I say America must rise to her God- 
appointed mission of spiritual leadership. She 
must tenderly lead all who are hungering and 
thirsting for light to this "fountain of life" in 
whose light they shall "see light" (Psalm 36) — 
not darkness and death. This Life is today 
pouring forth its living waters to humanity. It 
is the light which is shining through the dark- 
ness — the luminous star which heralds the 
dawn of a new era. My personal conviction is 
that its spiritual animus has been evidenced 
in this recent phenomenon of the new star, 
which will once more lead the wise men of 
all nations to the cradle of a new birth — the 
light within — the revelation of man governed 
by God — true democracy. 

France, our sister Republic, recognized and 
svmbolized this true democracy — and America's 
part in its establishment — when she sent us, in 
1885, the Statue of Liberty. 

A French general when addressing our troops, 
recently, in France, said : "This year Joan of 



19 

Arc is come again. Her name is America; 
young, strong, pure and brave." 

It is no chance correlation that unites the 
4th of July and the 14th of July as the two 
great world struggles for liberty. The perpetu- 
ally illumined woman in our harbor, holds aloft 
her lighted torch, in her right hand, points up- 
ward and whispers to the suffering children of 
other lands their immortal birthright : "Liberty." 
Her gentle beams guide them tenderly into the 
arms of this great mother city — the gateway 
of our United States of America. Her effulgent 
light symbolizes the trinity of universal de- 
mocracy — liberty, equality, fraternity — which 
France has emblazoned on her national stand- 
ard. It is the same tri-unity of light which 
the three stars represent and its dawn was 
breaking for France when our Revolution, with 
her help, ended. 

Americans must sing to the longing world, 
through America's national anthem, her estab- 
lishment of this government — of universal di- 
vine democracy, which will ultimately reveal 
world-wide brotherhood. A nation under the 
rule of supreme good, governed by Truth — 
Christ, justice, mercy and brotherly love, would 
soon realize in phenomena, peace on earth, good- 
will toward men — the principle upon which this 
nation was established. 

The celebration of our approaching Independ- 
ence Day, July 4, 1918, should bring with it a 
realization of its solemn and sublime import. 
The mental battle that is being fought in our 
national consciousness today is bringing emanci- 
pation from bondage to a false mentality from 
which proceeds war, pestilence, famine, sorrow, 
death. It is our third and final struggle for 
freedom. In 1776, we won our political inde- 
pendence, through our conflict with Great Brit- 
ain. In 1865, came our second and greatei- vic- 
tory — the cessation of physical slavery, and the 
glorious birth of a unified national conscious- 
ness. In 1915, North, South, East and West, 
were celebrating that great moment in our na- 



20 

tional history, and reverentially paying a united 
tribute of affection and appreciation to Abraham 
Lincoln. His immortal words had been spoken: 

VVe here highly resolve . . . that this 
nation, under God, shall have a new birth 
of freedom ; and that government of the 
people, by the people, for the people, shall 
not perish from the earth. 

Are wc in truth a great democracy, in the 
true sense of democracy, when the right of 
self-government is denied to large numbers of 
patriotic American men and women, through 
the attempt to force them to accept and sing 
a national anthem, which repudiates, by its 
every expression, Lincoln's immortal, sublime 
definition of democracy and also the principle 
which inspired Thomas Jefferson when he wrote 
the Declaration of Independence? 

President Wilson, in his last speech in New 
York City, on May 18, 1918, said that the 
whole world m.ust be made "democratic in the 
sense of comm.unily of interest and purpose."' 
He further added • 

If you could read some of the touching 
dispatches w^hich come through official 
channels — for even through those channels 
come voices of humanity which are equally 
pathetic — if you could catch some of those 
voices which speak the utter longing of 
oppressed and helpless peoples all over 
the world, to hear something like the 
"Battle Hymn of the Republic," to hear 
the feet of the great hosts of liberty going 
to set them free, to set their minds free, 
to set their lives free, you would know 
'what comes into the hearts of those who 
are trying to contribute all the power 
they have to this great enterprise of 
libertv. 

In a later message to the Italian residents 
of the country, on May 24, 1918, who were 
rolebrnt'ncr the third vear of Ttalv's entrance 



21 

into the war, President Wilson makes this state- 
ment : 

. . . and this great war, in which. 
is being fought out once and for all the 
irrepressible conflict between free self- 
government and the dictation of force. 

This brief message of vital import will be 
recorded in histor}' as the voice of our Chief 
Executive at this hour, announcing his desire 
to stand by Washington's immortal declaration 
to raise a "standard to which the wise and 
honest can repair." 

It is a cause for gratitude that President Wil- 
son does not cite "The Star-Spangled Banner" 
as a medium for freedom to which "the great 
hosts of liberty" can march. As noble as Mrs. 
Howe's verses are, the music to which they are 
sung came from Africa, and brings only mem- 
ories of internecine strife. The music of "John 
Brown's Body Lies Mouldering in the Ground" 
does not "raise the standard" of life, or spirit- 
uality. The democracy "of community of in- 
terest and purpose" of which President Wilson 
speaks, was seen and announced by the Revela- 
tor in his Apocalyptic vision of the "new song" 
of the "redeemed ... of every kindred, and 
tongue, and people, and nation . . . and the num- 
ber of them was ten thousand times ten thou- 
sand, and thousands of thousands" (Rev. 5:9, 

Is. not this prophetic statement being fulfilled 
in the great community spirit which is sweep- 
ing through this nation which gave it birth? 
Its founders 'never ceased their battles for the 
establishment of the harmony of true brother- 
hood. 

When George Washington. Commander-in- 
Chief, solemnly gave the great message of the 
Declaration of Independence to the army, our 
new-born citizens knew they were no longer 
Colonials, Provincials, Englishmen, Pilgrims, 
Huguenots, but brothers — free Americans and 
citizens of the Republic of the United States, 



22 

members of a democracy whose corner-stone 
was "that all men are created equal." Thomas 
Jefferson's seal was "Rebellion to tyrants is 
obedience to God." His work must be fulfilled 
by the "raising of a standard today to which 
the whole world can repair." The event is in- 
deed in the hands of God. 

Again, I repeat, the star of Bethlehem is the 
light of the ages. Two thousand years ago, it 
led to Bethlehem. Three hundred years ago, 
to America, where today its full significance is 
typified by the recent appearing of the new 
star, Aquila (eagle) number 3. Its light will 
ultimately reveal to all men a new Declaration 
of Independence, emancipation from mental 
slavery, as humanity discerns, through spiritual 
understanding a Creator who is divine, uni- 
versal Life and Love. 

The national anthem of America should ex- 
press this light, and its sublime dignity of 
rhythm and harmony will attune all men to its 
quickening call. "The feet of the great hosts of 
liberty" of which President Wilson spoke, will 
keep time to its music, and all men throughout 
the world will finally march shoulder to shoul- 
der under its unfurled banner of Love. 



CORRESPONDENCE 

Resulting from the Circulation of the Pamphlet 

Entitled 

Words and Music of 'The Star-Spangled Banner" 

Oppose the Spirit of Democracy which the 

Declaration of Independence Embodies 

/.Copyrighl, 1918, by Kitty Cheatham) 



274 Madison Avenue, 
New York City. 

August 15, 1918. 
Dear Mr. F. . . :— * 

I am impelled to send you the enclosed pam- 
phlet, though its substance matter is the an- 
tithesis o-f the sentiments, which I heard you 
express recently at Columbia College. I am sure, 
however, you cannot fail to feel the sincerity 
of my convictions, as well as the logic of my 
statements. I have' gratefully and voluntarily 
entered the arena of conflict, as I know the 
standard — or Principle — for which I am fighting 
— the allness of Love and the ultimate revelation 
of the brotherhood of man. I do not mean the 
carnal man and his present activities, which 
are only too apparent in this world-war, with 
its pitiable exhibition of Cain again slaying his 
brother, but I refer to God's man, made in "His 
own image and likeness," who is coming forth 
in these latter days. This is the ideal Christ 
man, whom Christ Jesus represented and ex- 

*The recipient of this letter is the Editor of 
a well-known musical journal. 



t/ 



24 

■emplified in his victory over the quaUties ot 
the carnal mind. 

These evil thoughts are externalizing: them- 
selves in the universal war. Paul describes 
the carnrd man as ultimating in death, the re- 
sult of "idolatry . . . hatred, variance, emu- 
lations, wra^h, strife, seditions, heresies, envy- 
ings. murders, drunkencss . . . and such 
like" (Galatians 5:20.21). T shall not sheathe 
my sword — the sword of Truth, the word of 
God — untU this battle between good and evil, 
right and wrong, is won. > 

Christ Jesus proved the potency- of truth by 
his mighty works, by his stern denunciation of 
the Qualities of Pharisaism, hypocrisy, animality, 
greed, and all that would oppose the operation 
of the immutable law of Truth and Love, that 
he obeyed and demonstrated. He did not cease 
using thi'; mighty word of God until he had 
fini^hod h's fight. Then followed his blessed 
benediction, "Peace T leave with you. my peace 
T give unto you" (John 14:27). He demon- 
strated the eternal life with which God endowed 
man. He proved that his "weapons . . . are 
not carnal, but mighty through God to the 
pulling down of strong holds" (H Corinthians 
10:4) — evil in all its forms. 

The Christian soldiers today who have enlisted 
in the army of Christ will fight on to final vic- 
tory. The "prince of this world" — evil thoughts 
and evil thinkers, for the two cannot be sepa- 
rated — cannot terrify or intimidate Truth's 
standard-bearers, nor can they hush the voice of 
God's representatives, who say with Gamaliel, 
"If this counsel or this work be of men. it will 
come to nought: but if it be of God, ve cannot 
ov^rthrov^ it: lest haplv ve be found even to 
fight against God" (Acts 5:38. 39). Centuries of 
material history have never altered this om- 
nipotent, unchanging law of truth and justice. 

T know my mission as Joan of Arc knew hers, 
and like her T will fight to keep the standard 
of my beloved country eternally uplifted. This 
is the final battle between the forces of good 



25 

and evil. Victory is imminent for those who 
understand the spiritual import of this great 
hour, and who are willing to stand in the front 
ranks of tlie mental trenches^ panoplied in an 
invulnerable armor of spiritual understanding. 
These soldiers, on the battlefield of Christ, are 
proving, as did Daniel, the allness of Love and 
the impotence of the animal qualities of the 
carnal mind, that would destroy God's ambas- 
sadors,. 

I note, with joy, these words of General 
Pershing to his soldiers in today's "Times :" 

You have the unconquerable spirit of 
men who fight for their ideals . . . 
hardships will be your lot, but trust in , 
God will give you comfort . . . 
temptations will befall you, but the teach- 
ings of the Saviour will give you strength. 
Let your valor as a soldier and your con- 
duct as a man be an inspiration to your 
comrades and an honor to your country. 

On the editorial page of this same issue of 
the "Times" I also read these lines — the con- 
cluding ones in a poem entitled, "More Light," 
by Eleanor Van Allen Furman : 

O light of love of God, shine clear and 
true ! 

O love of gentle Nazarene for man, lead 
firmly on ! 

More light ! more light, through the dark 
seas 

Of this world's bloody strife! 

Lead Thou our old Ship o'er thought fogs 
and shoals, 

To Freedom, Justice, Liberty — to anchor- 
age in Thee ! 

Surely, dear Mr. F. . . , you will perceive the 
great spiritual significance of these messages 
and the fact that God is raising up His messen- 
gers to reveal this light of Love to hungering 
humanity. 

I noted also the French ambassador's dom- 



26 

munication transmitted yesterday through the 

State Department, the House and Senate, ex-» 

pressing the gratitude of France for our na- 
tional celebration of July 14th : 

The moral kinship existing between two 
peoples, equally ready to fight absolutism, 
tyranny, injustice, brutality, and whose 
national fete days, both dating from revo- 
lutionary times, have the same meaning, 
which is emancipation. We hope the end 
of the present conflict may not be far 
removed. We know that it will not occur 
before our common aims have been fully 
achieved and before what the 4th and the 
14th of July stand for has been definitely 
secured — the end of tyranny. 

"The Star-Spangled Banner," with its indis- 
putable origin in tyranny, autocrac}^ and de- 
generacy, came forth at the time the French 
revolution was smoldering, and its sentiments 
are the reversal of the great ideals for which 
France and America fought — liberty and true 
democracy. 

Let me quote from an article in "The Evening 
Sun" of August 12th, entitled, "The New Fourth 
of July — A British view of the changed aspect 
of Independence Day," by Donald MacFayden 
in the "Contemporary Review :" 

Every historic event is liable to reassess- 
ment in the light of later events. A change 
in the national outlook may at any time 
set a past event in a new synthesis. When 
Germany, taught by Nietzsche, said, "We 
have done with the slave morality of 
Christianity; we want a master morahty 
with ourselves as masters," England and 
America replied with the words of Lin- 
coln : "I should not wish to be a slave, 
as I should not wish to be a master. 
Whatever differs from this and in the 
measure of that difference is not true 
democracy." . . . When Germany of- 



27 

fered to cover the world with a" scientific 
Kultur, Britain and America instinctively 
repudiated the offer. They accepted the 
challenge as a new phase of the old con- 
flict against "the world, the flesh and 
the devil." The battle for a spiritual 
interior, a spiritual meaning of life and 
a Christian civilization is not a new one 
for us. Whatever vitality and dignity the 
mental life of the English speaking peo- 
ples have had for the last 25 years has 
come from the men who have rallied 
round this standard. 

Dear Mr. F..., this is the "standard" around 
which I am rallying my spiritual, mental 
forces. The insistence upon perpetuating dark- 
ness and schism, which "The Star-Spangled 
Banner" represents is, I have been told by some 
in the highest authority, nothing more or less 
than German propaganda, working to keep alive 
the spirit of animosity between England and 
America. It must and shall cease. True Ameri- 
cans are demanding and taking possession of 
their spiritual birthright of "Life, Liberty and 
the pursuit of Happiness," and will share event- 
ually this birthright with their Anglo-Saxon^ 
brothers, who, with them, will lead all nations 
out of the misery and darkness of hatred and 
animality into the Light of Life and Love, the 
source and supply of man's real spiritual indi- 
viduality. 

Faithfully yours, 

v' Signed) KITTY CHEATHAM. 



28 

' 274 Madison Avenue, 

New York City. 

August 22, 1918. 
My dear Mr. S... :— * 

I am in receipt of your kind letter and fully 
appreciate your frankness in stating that you 
do not agree with the sentiments which I ex- 
pressed in- my pamphlet, entitled, "Words and 
Music of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' Oppose 
the Spirit of Democracy, which the Declara- 
tion of Independence Embodies." You say: 

I know of no reason why the spirit of 
the song has in any way been affected by 
the present situation. You might even 
carry such ideas further, and suggest that 
the Bible be re-written because parts of it 
advocate tribal wars — or -rather sanctions 
them ; that the laws of Confucius be re- 
vised for English reading, perhaps, be- 
cause they were written in a time not 
analogous to our own. 

It is essential, dear Mr. S..., before I enter 
upon a discussion of the vital subject at hand, 
which I feel necessitated to do today, both in 
justice to you and to myself, that I state the 
only premise upon which I base my conclusion, 
viz., that there is but one Primal Cause — one 
eternal, demonstrable Truth, Mind, God, Spirit, 
immortal Life, immutable Truth, divine Love, 
which expresses itself in all that is good, spirit- 
ual, living, and true. Upon the premise that all 
causation is Mind and every effect a mental 
phenomenon. I take my stand. All phenomena, 
which appear to contradict this divine premise, 
proceed from a false mentality called, in Scrip- 
ture, the "carnal mind," "the dragon," "the lie," 
"devil." or "Satan." x\n understanding of divine 
metaphysics, or the potency of spiritual thought- 
force, is absolutely necessary to apprehend and 

♦This letter is in reply to one received from 
the Editor of a well-known monthly magazine. 



29 

prove the unerring, divine law of Cause and 
effect. 

The "Standard Dictionary" gives the following 
definition of the word, "divine :" "Pertaining to, 
proceeding or derived from, or of the nature of 
God." The close study of divine metaphysics 
reveals the Primal Cause of all real existence 
to be divine Mind, the Principle of all real, 
eternal, harmonious phenomena. Christ Jesus 
grasped this spiritual fact of real being and 
demonstrated his divine individuality, or the do- 
minion which the spiritual or real man pos- 
sesses. When humanity understands the law of 
eternal Mind or God and yields to the activities 
of this law of Spirit, whose phenomena are 
eternal consciousness — dominion, love, joy, and 

_peace — man will behold "a new heaven and a 

"new earth" (Revelation 21:1). 

Through the horrible phenomena which the 
carnal mind is presenting in this world-war, 
there will come an awakening from the belief 
in two powers, good and evil. The twentieth 
century thinker will be compelled to choose be- 
tween good and evil thinking, or the right and 
wrong cause. There is a little verse that ap- 
plies right here : 

Every thought is an embryo. 

Every word is a planted seed. 
Look to it well that the seed you sow 

Be for the flower and not for the weed. 

The present condition of the world clearly 
shows that the "seed," or thought, has not been 
of the Spirit, eternal Life, Love, and Truth, but 
of evil thinking — hatred, malice, envy, jealousy, 
lust, greed, and desire for place and power — 
which results in sickness, suffering, sorrow, and 
death. 

Let me continue the definition of "metaphy- 
sics:" "The branch of philosophy that deals 
with the conceptions or principles at the basis of 
all phenomena, including being, reality, sub- 
stance." Again I repeat, that the immovable 
premise upon which T stand is that God, Spirit, 



30 

Mind, is the one divine Principle "at the basis 
of all [real] phenomena, including being, reality, 
substance," hence any effect that proceeds from 
this Principle must manifest in quantity and 
quality the great First Cause. 

Opposed to this spiritual fact of eternal being, 
with its infinite manifestation, or the spiritual 
universe, which only spiritual man can cognize, 
is a claim to another cause called, by Paul, "the 
carnal mind," w^ith its effects, sickness and 
death. Paul said : "To be carnally minded is 
death; but to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace" (Romans 8:6). This false mentality com- 
posed of fear, hate, jealousy, envy, pride of 
place and power, lust, greed, hypocrisy, the car- 
nal mentality is manifesting its phenomena in 
the present world-war, as it has in all past 
wars, whose horrors, ever-increasing, must shock 
the twentieth century thinkers and awaken man- 
kind to the necessity for an understanding of 
God's law and obedience to this law of Truth, 
from which proceeds all harmony. In fact the 
kingdom of heaven is wathin the man who is 
governed by the law of eternal Life, Love, and 
Truth. 

The Mind of Christ, exercised through all who 
possess it, will bring to an end the warring ele- 
ments, which are now under process of self- 
extinction. 

The book of Revelation is open for all men 
to read. Therein are mirrored the phenomena 
of the carnal mind. Therein are also shown 
forth the omnipotence of God, good, and the 
reign of the real man who reflects the great 
causation, eternal Life, Love, and Truth. Irn 
the Scripture we read : 

I call heaven and earth to record this 
day against you, that I have set before 
you life and death, blessing and cursing: 
therefore choose life, that both thou and 
thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19). 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield 
yourselves servants to obey, his servants 
ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin 



31 

unto death, or of obedience unto right- 
eousness? (Romans 6:16.) 

In fact, the Bible when spiritually understood 
is the chart of Life and unites man to his 
Maker, eternal Mind. The real man who reflects 
his Maker Is, as a ray of the sun, never sepa- 
rated from the source and supply of his being, 
but ever radiating the Life, the Love, the Truth 
which constitute the real eternal man of God's 
creating, always visualizing his spiritual sense 
and always conscious that the kingdom of 
heaven is within him. Shakespeare said : "There 
is nothing either good or bad, but thinking 
makes it so." 

The question of today is, which thought are 
we externalizing? The cause of the present 
world-war is unmistakable. Its continuance 
remains for humanity to decide. 

Returning to the subject of this paper, I 
affirm that the "spirit" or source of the words 
and music of "The Star-Spangled Banner" has 
not been afTected by the present situation, but 
has caused it. The chaotic condition of the 
carnal mind, including its unparalleled selt- 
destructive elements, which threaten lo involve 
the entire universe, are the same carnal mental 
forces that have operated in all the "tribal wars" 
of which you speak as being of Biblical record. 

They who are working, in this hour, from a 
divinely metaphysical basis, perceive the activi- 
ties of the same evil mentalities wdiich have 
always worked through the highest representa- 
tives of temporal power, both before and after 
the Christian era. The more subtle phases of 
this material mentality are manifesting them- 
selves today. "Truth" seems to be "on the scaf- 
fold" and 

. . , Wrong forever on the throne, 
Yet that scafifold sways the future, and 

behind the dim unknown, 
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping 
watch above His own. 

The good in humanity is fighting the final 
battle for emancipation from evil thinkers and 



32 

doers. The sharp, mighty rebukes of the master 
Metaphysician, Christ Jesus, to the materiahsts 
of his day, who resisted and persecuted the 
Truth which he practised and demonstrated, may 
well be apphed to these same offenders today: 
"Thou bhnd Pharisee, cleanse first that which 
is within the cup and platter, .that the outside 
of them may be clean also" (Matthew 23:26). 
In other words, think spiritual thoughts which 
proceed from eternal Mind and the phenomena 
will be life and peace. 

The carnal mind, called in Scripture, "Satan," 
must be seen and destroyed within and without, 
individually, nationally, universally, by an under- 
standing of man as a mental, spiritual emanation 
of the divine Mind, God, before the reality of 
scientific being, man governed by the unerring 
law of Life, Truth, and Love, can be compre- 
hended and demonstrated. 

The height of spiritual revelation was reached 
and recorded in St. John's great Apocalyptic 
vision of "a new heaven and a new earth," 
which was simply and clearly defined by Jesus 
in these words, "For, behold, the kingdom of 
God is within you" (Luke 17:21). 

I believe, dear Mr. S..., that the imperative 
demand for an earnest and serious investigation 
of the Science of real being, as taught and 
demonstrated by Christ Jesus, and in this age 
by his follower, the Discoverer and Founder of 
Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, will appeal 
to you. 

All the so-called natural sciences, which man 
has striven to absorb throughout the ages, have 
been proved futile and powerless toward the so- 
lution of the tremendous issues that today are 
forcing themselves upon humanity. History is 
again repeating itself. Those whose dense ma- 
terialism prevents them from spiritually inter- 
preting the "signs of the times" as evidenced 
in the present world-war, will be suddenly 
aroused and sharply awakened by a great cata- 
clysmic phenomenon, as prophesied by the 
Revelator : 



33 



And the same hour was there a great 
earthquake, and the tenth part of the city 
fell, and in the earthquake were slain of 
men seven thousand: and the remnant 
were affrighted, and gave glory to the 
God of heaven (Revelation 11:13). 

To all who are governed by spiritual con- 
sciousness, "The kingdoms of this world are be- 
come the kmgdoms of our Lord, and of His 
Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" 
(Revelation 11:15). Spiritual understanding 
and the qualities of the Christ-mind will prove 
an invulnerable armor to the spiritually 
minded. Dwelling in the "secret place of the 
most. High . . . under the shadow of the 
Almighty" they will be impervious to the deadly 
attacks of the poisonous gases and liquid fire 
—the phenomena of malice, lust, hatred, fear, 
revenge, hypocrisy, greed, and brutality. 

Why does mankind resist the law of progress 
and refuse to "keep abreast of Truth"? Be- 
cause It requires an effort to break the mesmer- 
ism of the Adam-dream, viz., a material genera- 
tjon which ends in suffering, sickness, and 
death. It. is apparent that many are being 
shocked into resistance to the barbarity of the 
carnal mmd and are being forced into obedi- 
ence to the law of God for self-preservation. 

I have received recently dozens of letters 
from _ persons of prominence in Europe and 
America, who represent governmental, aca- 
demic, literary, musical, and social activities, and 
I am astounded that none of these correspond- 
ents seem to catch a glimpse of the scientific 
Trinciple of being, viz., that Mind, God, is caus- 
ation, and that the Universe including Man is 
the expression of this creative Mind. They ac- 
cept the evidence of the carnal mind as real 
and offer no resistance to mental influences, 
which hold them in bondage to sin and death 
They seem unaware of the spiritual riches that 
come with the understanding that man gov- 
erned by God and conscious of his eternal one- 



34 

ness with his Creator has dominion over all 
the earth. 

Jesus demonstrated his spiritual dominion 
through the overcoming, the destructiony of all 
the carnal elements which produce war, sin, and 
death. That he did not claim to be the only 
demonstrator of this spiritual sovereignty is sut>- 
stantiated by his own words : 

He that believeth on me, the works that 
1 do shall he do also ; and greater works 
than these shall he do ; because I go unto 
my Father (John 14:12). 

He knew that his divine sonship and the abil- 
ity to prove his power over sin, sickness, and 
death in their destruction and disappearance be- 
long to all men. 

All who today are applying themselves to the 
study of the Science of spiritual thinking and 
are assimilating themselves to Mind, or obedi- 
ence to the law of God, are demonstrating, in 
greater or lesser degree, the royal prerogative of 
spiritual dominion over evil influences and are 
establishing or revealing God's law — divine 
democracy. 

For by one Spirit are we all baptized 
into one bod}-, whether we be Jews or 
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free 
(T Corinthians 12:13). 

God that made the world and all things 
therein. . . . 

. . . hath made of one blood [Mind] all 
nations of men for to dwell on all the 
face of the earth (Acts 17:24, 26). 

Is not this a glorious Principle for which to 
fight and finally to demonstrate? Every man- 
made dynasty and temporal ruler must eventu- 
ally yield obedience to the law of God — infinite 
Mind. 

The government shall be upon his 
shoulder: and his name shall be called 
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God» 



35 



The everlasting Father, The Prince of 
Peace (Isaiah 9:6). 

One of the highest officials in our national' 
affairs wrote me that it was quite proper to 
have the music of "John Brown's body lies a 
mouldenng in the ground" for a national anthem. 
Have we not seen and heard enough of the 
Adam-man and his activities, which began with 
Cam kilhng his brother Abel? Adam came 
from the ground and his collaborator, the lying, 
talkmg serpent, was cursed. What are the 
mental pictures that are being objectified in 
the press today? The headlines tell us that 
piles, of mouldering bodies have been used as 
fortresses of defense by the enemy. 

America was founded upon and represents an 
immortal Principle of Life and Light, and to 
suggest that her National Anthem should be 
expressed in music that emanated from the car- 
nal mmd with its bitterness, strife, mortahty, 
and decay is preposterous. The calling of 
the people's attention to dead bodies "moulder- 
ing in the ground" should cause the nation 
to rise m rebellion against such mental pic- 
tures and to compel the children of the twen- 
tieth century to visualize this mental picture- 
IS beyond credence. God will never permit it 
WT -r f}}^^^^-^^^ has raised his standard of 
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 
-The evil thinker can no longer deceive the di- 
vine metaphysician, in this hour, with his chaotic 
phenomena, which have been shown as a bald 
imposition, having lost its former power to hold 
the people m bondage to sin, with its results, 
sickness, suffering, sorrow, and death. On 
Christ s banner is inscribed, "Let mental «;lavery 
be forever abolished !" 

A prominent Editor writes me: 

I wonder whether it is possible, by any 
process of reasoning, to change a deeplv 
rooted custom like that of singing a spe- 
cific national song. I quite agree witR 
you that the old anti-British feeling ought 



36 

to be eradicated, but I do not feel sure 
that these people singing "The Star- 
Spangled Banner" associate its words 
specifically with Great Britain. 

This is another evidence of a lamentable fact, 
that the people continue to accept time-honored 
customs, false theories, and defy the law of 
progress out of darkness into light, out of death 
into Life, out of the law of the carnal mind 
into the law of life, love, peace and joy — the 
effect of Spirit. Again I repeat, that there is 
but one Primal Cause, that is real, Mind, eternal 
Life, Truth, and Love. 

The original words and music of "The Star- 
Spangled Banner" emanated from a false men- 
tality, darkness* and degeneracy and carry with 
them the mental animus of the carnal mind 
which perpetuates its influence in discord, death, 
and repeated wars. The music is an old English 
drinking song and its influence keeps active the 
intoxication of the material senses. The words 
are a tribute to a pr^gan idolater whose poison- 
ous vine of "myrtle of Venus and Bacchus' 
vine" must be mentally uprooted and ultimately 
forever cast out of the Anglo-Saxon conscious- 
ness. 

The spiritual union of England and America, 
and there is no other union, is God made. Its 
attempted disruption through the insistence on 
the perpetuation of "The Star-Spangled Banner" 
is a German propaganda and it must and shall 
cease. It had not occurred to me that this was 
German propaganda to keep up a former ani- 
mosity, which existed between England and 
America, or Ephraim and Manasseh, until it 
was told me by those highest in authority. 

The law of progress cannot be impeded, nor 
the struggles of humanity for emancipation from 
mental slavery be arrested. God will justify 
His word. I shall continue, like my ancestors, 
to fight for the establishment of the law of 
righteousness — divine democracy. 

Your statement that I "might even carry sucli 



37 

ideas further and suggest that the Bible might 
be re-written," I refute. The Bible is the in- 
spired Word of God which does not need to be 
re-written. But to be understood it must be 
spiritually interpreted. The divine appointment 
or spiritual interpretation, with its accompan3ing 
spiritual vision, has always been revealed to 
God's highest representatives throughout the 
ages, from Moses to the present day. They 
have risen, through spiritualization of thought, 
to "discern the things of Spirit." 

God, the great Principle of being, ^Mind, 
causation, has found a witness for Himself in 
every age, a mediator, to voice Him and to 
reveal His presence. Resistance to this revela- 
tion of the unfoldment of God's law was en- 
countered by Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, and 
all the prophets and culminated in the phe- 
nomenon of the crucifixion, when the- carnal 
mind was stirred to its height by the power of 
Truth, which Christ- Jesus demonstrated. 

The carnal mind today shows the same spirit 
of rebellion against the divine demand to rise 
to spiritual thinking and its spiritual phenomenon 
— a world governed by Life, Truth, and Love. 

The same inspiration which prompted the 
original writing of the Scriptures, in order that 
their spiritual meaning may be revealed and 
the answer to this query of Pilate's, "What is 
Truth," are being comprehended by the twen- 
tieth century searcher for the Science of being. 
Until this spiritual fact, or Science of eternal 
Life, is clearly seen and acknowdcged, the 
Bible is a mass of uncomprehended paradoxes. 

There are thirty thousand different readings 
in the Old Testament and three hundred thou- 
sand in the New. Material conceptions of spirit- 
ual facts have clouded the light of inspiration 
and revelation throughout the ages. The 
world's most eminent authorities have agreed 
that the Bible has both a spiritual and mate- 
rial interpretation ; hence the imperative need 
to spiritualize thought, which will reveal the 
priceless riches of spiritual understanding with 



38 

its wealth of love, power, peace, and joy — 
man's eternal birthright. 

Dear Mr. S..., will you please pardon me 
for imposing upon you a letter of such length; 
but the subjects which your letter has opened 
could not be briefly touched upon. 

Trusting that you will be found among the 
twentieth century searchers for the Science of 
being and will aid in establishing divine democ- 
racy, I remain, 

Very sincerely yours, 

(Signed) KITTY CHEATHAM. 



39 



'274 Madison Avenue, 
New York City. 

September 1, 1918. 
Dear Mr. W. .. :— * 

Your kind letter of August 27th, I have read 
and deeply appreciate. It is most significant, 
that in the same post I received an excerpt from 
*'The Literary Digest" of August 24th, which' is 
in the form of an inquiry from Winnipeg, Mani- 
toba, as to "Who wrote The Star-Spangled 
Banner'? When was it written; when was it 
first sung?" 

The Editor replies, that the author of the 
present words, Francis Scott Key, "directed that 
it should be sung to the tune of 'Anacreon in 
Heaven,' composed in England between 1770 
and 1775." The Editor adds: "The Star- 
Spangled Banner' was first sung in 1814, in a 
tavern near the Holiday Street Theatre, Balti- 
more, by Ferdinand Durang." Is it not ap- 
parent to you, dear Mr. W^ . . , why I will not, 
cannot, cease my legitimate warfare for the 
elimination of "The Star-Spangled Banner" from 
•our national consciousness? It seems especially 
important to me, and equally so to you, I trust, 
as Baltimore is your birth-place, that we who 
are of Southern birth and tradition, need to 
awaken and quicken the American people to the 
necessity of ridding our beloved nation of this 
drunken song which had its first American 
hearing in a Southern tavern. 

If this radical and imperative statement 

*Mr. W... was formerly a member of our 
diplomatic service and has represented the 
United States in various ambassadorial and po- 
litical matters, in practically every foreign coun- 
try. He is at present rendering the nation valu- 
able service as one of the official directors of 
a great philanthropic organization. 



40 

startles you, let me remind you of the admoni- 
tion of the Prophet Isaiah to 

The multitude of all the nations . . . that 
fight against Zion [the light of spiritual 
inspiration upon which America was 
founded]. Stay yourselves, and wonder; 
cry ye out . . . they are drunken, but 
not with wine. . . . This is a rebel- 
lious people . . . that will not hear the 
law of the Lord: . . . which saj' to 
the seers, See not; and to the prophets, 
Prophesy not unto us right things, speak 
unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits : 
get you out of the way, turn aside out 
of the path, cause the Holy One of 
Israel to cease from before us. Where- 
fore 'thus saith the Holy One of Israel. 
Because ye despise this word, and trust 
in oppression . . . and stay thereon : 
therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a 
breach ready to fall . . . whose break- 
ing Cometh suddenly at an instant (Isaiah 
29:8, 9; 30:9-13). 

All who heed the warning "shall have a song 
. . . and gladness of heart . . . the Lord shall 
cause His glorious voice to be heard" (Isaiah 
30:29, 30). 

The bacchanaHan, pagan mentality from 
which "The Star-Spangled Banner" orginated 
in Greece, found its way to England, where the 
original music was written. It was transplanted 
to America, and must be finally uprooted and 
destroyed by those who have inherited and de- 
fended the spirit of the founders of our nation, 
whose ideals and destiny are perfectly expressed 
in these words : 

America, America, thou gavest birth 
To light that lighteth all the earth. 

God keep it pure ! 
We love that onward leading light; 
We will defend it with our might; 

It s hall endure !* 

♦Alice Morgan Harrison. 



41 

For the endurance of the glorious radiance of 
this Hght, the spiritual power which animated 
our Pilgrim Fathers, I shall continue to fight 
until the battle for the supremacy of right over 
wrong, justice over injustice, love over hate, 
and freedom to enjoy "Life, Liberty and the 
pursuit of Happiness" is finally and forever 
won. 

I note, with appreciation, that you have read 
"with great interest" my pamphlet "Words and 
Music of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' Oppose the 
Spirit of Democracy which the Declaration of 
Independence Embodies." You also say: 

In regard to "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner," it has occasionally ocurred to me 
that something finer and more inspiring 
might be devised for a national anthem, 
but it is not easy to change a great na- 
tional institution of that kind. 

I agree with you "that something finer and 
more inspiring might be devised for a national 
anthem," but, dear Mr. W, . ., I must take 
issue with you over your statement that "it 
is not easy to change a great national institu- 
tion of that kind." The Founder of Christian- 
ity, Christ Jesus, who demonstrated the power 
of spiritual thought-force over death and the 
grave, and whose divine standard of justice 
and truth is the light upon which this nation 
was established, gave his followers, of all ages, 
divine authority to, uproot and "change" — de- 
stroy — every illegitimate national institution, in 
these words : "Every plant,^ which my heavenly 
Father hath not planted, 'shall be rooted up'^ 
(Matthew 15:13). 

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is not our offi- 
cial anthem, and therefore is not a national in- 
stitution. It is an excrescence — an illegitimate 
branch that has been engrafted on the holy 
roots of our national consciousness. It is a 
blot on our escutcheon and in no way repre- 
sents us in this momentous hour. A supreme 



42 

power has evidently prevented the authoriza- 
tion of a hymn which does not express Amer- 
ican democracy. 

I quote from the Declaration of Independence: 

We, therefore, the Representatives of 
the United States of America . . . appeal- 
ing [appeal] to the Supreme Judge of the 
world for the rectitude of our intentions 
. . . with a firm reliance on the pro- 
tection of Divine Providence. 

A noble, sublime, divinely inspired American 
anthem, upholding our national dignity, and ex- 
pressing the spiritual ideals upon which we were 
founded, which ideals according to the law of 
progress are unceasing in their unfoldment in 
this new era upon which we are entering — such 
an anthem would be indeed a "great national 
institution" and would be- welcomed by all pa- 
triotic Americans. It is not the desire of the 
majority of the American people to have "The 
Star-Spangled Banner" declared official. My 
profession brings me in touch with the people, 
and I know whereof I speak. They resist learn- 
ing and singing it, and this fact foreshadows 
a demand of the people for an American an- 
them. 

Some of the national anthems of today, ac- 
cording to this law of progress, will be replaced 
by those that express what America and the 
Allies profess to be fighting for — spiritual 
liberation. The development of France through 
suffering, will be expressed in higher ideals and 
a new National Anthem. "The Marseillaise" does 
not represent the France of today. It made an 
unforgetable impression upon me, when I lis- 
tened to two thousand school children in France, 
greeting as many English school children, with 
"The Marseillaise." I quote excerpts from the 
printed translations that were used: 

Hateful tyrants, mischief breeding. 
With hireling hosts, a ruffian band. 



43 
Their blood-stained banners rear. 

The vile, insatiate despots dare. 

To arms ! Your avenging sword unsheathe. 

Is England aided in her struggle for divine 
democracy, while her people continue to sing : 

The nations, not so blessed as thee, 
Must in their turn to tyrants fall, 
While thou shalt flourish, great and free. 
The dread and envy of them all. 

"Rule Britannia." 

Do not these sentiments breathe autocracy, self- 
aggrandizement, and pride of power? 

No truly "great national institution" would be 
susceptible of "change" because it would be 
logically a part of the immortal principle of 
"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" 
which America, in her divine conception, ex- 
presses. America is an immortal ideal. We do 
not hear the people clamoring to change the 
Lord's Prayer, or the Declaration of Independ- 
ence. These imperishable documents are great 
universal, as well as great national, institutions. 

Only America could have brought forth the 
Declaration of Independence, for she, alone, of 
all the nations, apprehended her divine destiny 
and was spiritually anointed and prepared to 
give it birth. Its spiritual interpretation is what 
is needed at this hour of reconstruction. The 
good in humanity will fight for and will pre- 
serve the spirit of divine democracy which the 
Lord's Prayer enunciates. The world will never 
be made "safe for democracy" until men have 
been sufficiently purified, by suffering, to know 
themselves and their brothers as children of the 
one Father, one Creator," God. Then can they 
say in unity, and intelHgently understand the 
meaning of its sublime import — "Our Father 
which art in heaven." 

The work of the individual States of this 
nation, precedent to the signing of the Declara- 
tion of Independence, must serve as an exam- 



44 

pie to the world today, as a world reformation 
is at hand. The leavening of Truth, the longing 
for spiritual freedom in individual man, grad- 
ually became a unified state of consciousness, and 
Virginia, in June, 1776, set the example for this 
nation, by declaring herself free and independent. 
She sounded the first great note in our national 
call for freedom. She was freedom's mission- 
ary who first rang our spiritual Liberty Bell. 
Names are S3'mbolical and of vital import, and 
Virginia, whose name symbolizes purity, rose in 
fulfilment of God's law to her God-appointed 
mission. Maryland, her sister State, must rise 
at this great hour of world wide purification and 
claim her legitimate place in the reborn con- 
sciousness which is coming forth. 

Massachusetts stood b}- the side of Virginia 
in her pioneer struggle, and I can conceive of 
no more inspiring picture in the history of any 
nation, than the gathering together at the sign- 
ing of the Declaration of Independence of those 
great patriotic fighters for liberty; Adams — and 
Franklin (by birth) representing Massachusetts ; 
Washington and JefTerson representing Virginia. 
At that moment there was no North and no 
South. All sectional and other differences had 
vanished in the one great purpose that lay be- 
fore them — the foundation of the great Republic, 
whose light of spiritual democracy should be 
kept undimmed, as a beacon light for all men 
and nations to follow. Their first efforts were 
for the establishment of national independence. 
Jefferson expressed it in the following words : 
"Hostility against every form of tyranny over 
the mind of man." Just here, it is well to re- 
member that Jefferson labored unceasingly for 
the institution of a law to "give freedom to all 
who should thenceforth be born in slavery." 

We have arrived at a moment when this tyr- 
anny must, be discerned in its true meaning. 
Mental slavery must be finally abolished, and 
this is the work, at this hour, of the spiritual 
crusaders for spiritual liberty. It means the de- 
struction of every stone in the temple of mate- 



45 

rial thinking with its phenomena, sin and death, 
and the reveahng of the true temple "whose 
builder and maker is God" — spiritual thinking, 
with its phenomenon, eternal Life, expressed in 
a spiritual universe. 

Had Lincoln listened to and obeyed the sug- 
gestion that it was "not easy to change a na- 
tional institution" — human slavery — he would 
have impeded the revelation of this wholly 
spiritual building, or divine democracy, to which 
our nation must attain. The great liberator, 
President Lincoln, knew that the second great 
struggle for libertyv was at hand, and that the 
blow for freedom from human slavery must be 
struck. He did not falter nor fail when his 
tremendous test came. He solemnly resolved 
that: 

This nation, under God, shall have a new 
birth of freedom ; and that government of 
the people, by the people, for the people, 
shall not perish from the earth. 

The spiritual animus which moved him to act 
remains an immortal presence operating through 
humanity to free America from servitude to the 
carnal mind which is "enmity against God." 

My sense of spiritual continuity impels me to 
quote these words of Mary Baker Eddy, the spir- 
itual emancipator from mental slavery, who 
stepped into the arena of conflict as we were 
approaching our third and final struggle for free- 
dom, at this momentous hour in our national 
history : 

God has endowed man with inalienable 
rights, among which are self-government, 
reason, and conscience. 

The history of our country, like all his- 
tory, illustrates the might of Mind, and 
shows human power to be proportionate 
to its embodiment of right thinking. A 
few immortal sentences, breathing the 
omnipotence of divine justice, have been 
potent to break despotic fetters and 



46 

I abolish . . . the slave market ; but oppres- 
sion neither went down in blood, nor did 
the breath of freedom come from the can- 
non's mouth. Love is the liberator. 

Legally to abolish unpaid servitude in 
the United States was hard ; but the aboli- 
tion of mental slavery is a more difficult 
task. The despotic tendencies, inherent in 
mortal mind and always germinating in 
• new forms of tyranny, must be rooted out 
through the action of the divine Mind 
(Science and Health, pp. 106, 225). 

Just here, dear Mr. W..., long after the 
midnight hour, I put aside my pen to finish this 
letter in the morning, September second. This 
morning brings the President's Labor Day mes- 
sage, in which I am rejoiced to see that it em- 
phasizes the very points which have impelled 
this letter. Permit me to quote the President's 
words : 

Why arc we enlisted? . . . Germany, 
it was [is] now plain, was striking at 
what free men everywhere desire and must 
have, — the right to determine their own 
fortunes, to insist upon justice, and to 
oblige governments to act for them and 
not for the private and selfish interests 
of a governing class. . . . It is a war of 
emancipation. . . . The soldiers at the 
front know this. . . . They are crusad- 
ers. They are fighting for no selfish ad- 
vantage for their own nation. . . . They 
are fighting for the ideals of their own land 
— great ideals, immortal ideals, ideals 
which light the way for all men to the 
places where justice is done, and men live 
with lifted heads and emancipated spirits. 
That is why they fight with solemn joy 
and are invincible. . . . Let us make 
this, therefore, a day of fresh comprehen- 
sion, not only of what we are about, of 
renewed and clear-eyed resolution, but a 
day of consecration also in which we de- 



47 

vote ourselves without pause or limit to 
the great task of setting our country and 
the whole world free to render justice to 
all. . . . The light of a new conviction 
has penetrated to every class amongst us 
. . . and so we join hands to lead the 
• world to a new and better day. 

"The light of a new conviction" has indeed 
penetrated to the very heart of our national con- 
sciousness, and its pure effulgence must express 
itself in a national anthem whose harmony will 
resound to the uttermost parts of the earth. It 
must be American in its expression of spiritual- 
ity and divine unversal love for God and man — 
the fundamental of all great, "immortal ideals" 
and the corner-stone — or the Rock — Christ — 
Truth, upon which the building of our nation 
was begun. The founders of America unceas- 
ingly declared for these ideals and in moments 
of great national stress, never failed to turn with 
child-like trust to the fountain source of all 
ideas — the divine Principle, Christ, Mind, eter- 
nal Life, Love, and Truth. 

I stand immovable in my conviction, that the 
intrepid spiritual crusaders of today are clad in 
their shining mail of righteousness of purpose, 
their invincible armor of spiritual convictions, and 
the two-edged spiritual sword — the Word of God 
— with which they are mentally fighting, will not 
be sheathed until eVil is destroyed, the world-war 
ceases, and righteousness reigns. It is because 
of my realization and deep appreciation of the 
great service yon have rendered our beloved na- 
tion, dear Mr. W. . ., through your years of con- 
secrated devotion to the "ideals of this land," 
expressed in 3'our countless national and interna- 
tional activities, that I have written you at length. 

I recall with great gratitude the many evi- 
dences I received of your courtesy and hospi- 
tality in Rome, Paris, and London. Mrs. W. . .'s 
graciousness and charm. I shall always remem- 
ber and treasure. She represented to me the ideal 
type of noble American womanhood. As the offi- 



48 

cial representatives, you upheld America's stand- 
ard. This is why I appeal to you to give your 
spiritual support in the contest for emancipation 
from the mental slavery to hatred, fear, ani- 
mality, death, and all that "The Star-Spangled 
Banner" expresses. Only love for God — good — 
for my beloved country, America, and for hu- 
manity could move me to take this stand. I am 
strengthened by the holiness of my purpose; my 
unchanging, immovable, spiritual conviction. With 
Martin Luther, I say: "Here I stand, so help me 
God, I can do no otherwise." 

Faithfully yours, 

(Signed) KITTY CHEATHAM. 



A PROTEST IN DEFENSE OF CHILDREN 



Excerpts from Letters 

It has come to me with overwhelming convic- 
tion, that I must add a final word of protest, 
against the determined insistence which has been 
obvious in these past few days, upon teaching 
the young children of this nation "all the words," 
as well as the music of "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner." They who are in authority have announced 
through the press, that "night classes have been 
formed for alien children," to teach them — as 
^'their first lessons in English" — as well as to 
"learn in their own language all the words of the 
'The Star-Spangled Banner.' " 

I rise, in righteous indignation against the 
inoculation of the childhood of this nation, with 
the mental poison of hatred, autocracy, fear, ani- 
mality — the warring animus that this song ex- 
presses. I have the support of large numbers of 
loyal, intelligent American citizens. My life 
work, through m}^ art, has been to protect the 
youth of our beloved country, against the influ- 
ences, mental and audible, which are endeavoring 
to dominate them today. In my efforts to im- 
press spiritual ideals upon the children of this 
country and throughout Europe, I have discov- 
ered that the "children of a larger growth," have 
imbibed the spirit of American ideals, as estab- 
lished by the makers of this nation. 

The old fetters cannot be forged anew upon 
our children, nor the alien children, who come 
to our shores to become American citizens, obedi- 
ent to the law of democracy. Their allegiance 
to foreign autocracy ceases, when the}^, volun- 
tarily, become American citizens. Ever}'- carnal 
quality (or material thought) which "The Star- 
Spangled Banner" expresses, is a false stone 
which can find no place in the spiritual structure, 
or true democracv, which America svmbolizes. 



Copyright, 1918, by Kitty Cheatham. 



50 

Our President, W'oodrow Wilson, in his mes- 
sages, particularly in his Labor Day message 
(September 2, 1918), has emphasized the hold- 
ing aloft unceasingly of the great "spiritual 
ideals" for which America stands. He has 
striven to exalt the nation to the attainment of 
these ideals. 

I ask, do we, as a nation, honor and are we 
loyal to our President and are we co-operating 
with him in his struggles to establish true de- 
mocracy which will reveal the brotherhood of 
man and forever end wars? Are we patriotic 
American citizens if we do not, in every way 
in our power, support our President in his spir- 
itual ideals? Let me repeat his words: 

Our soldiers . . . are crusaders. 
. . . They are fighting for the ideals of 
their own land — great ideals, immortal 
ideals, ideals which light the way for all 
men . . . where men live with lifted 
heads and emancipated spirits. 

As I am writing this, a letter comes to me 
from one of the best known editorial writers in 
this country. I quote his words : 

Your "protest" is noble. You are a 
brave, sincere fighter and your cause is 
just. I am wholly with you in spirit 
though it is impossible for me to print 
anything of this nature. The country at 
present is under the sway of Chauvinism. 
The world at present is hysterical, or, as a 
better simile, drunk. An intoxicated man 
gets a fixed idea and it is futile to argue 
with him. He must be humored or he be- 
comes riotous. No matter how sincere you 
are in espousing his cause he sees in you 
an enemy if yon try to show he is wrong 
in anything. You remember Romain Rol-" 
land, one of the greatest writers of France. 
His heart was wrapped up in the honor of 
France, but he wrote that he could not 
hate any one. The wrath of the frenzied 



51 

world fell upon him and no one hears his 
name now. 

Whenever I hear "The Star-Spangled 
Banner" I see, in fancy, men holding aloft 
mugs of beer and lauding drunkenness, and 
the picture is not pleasant, especially when 
'< I imagine the shades of these merry-makers 
in the Crown and Anchor Tavern, laughing 
at the thought that the greatest country 
in the world is using their old beer song 
as its standard. Think of a great, brave 
knight of the middle ages entering the 
tournament with the wig of the King's 
fool on his helmet as a standard ! The 
world will soon be forced to be sober and 
thoughtful. Then it will listen. The world 
needs teachers of truth. I thank God that 
you are one of these teachers. 

The world is now listening and is obeying the 
Word or Truth. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the 
Word was with God, and the Word was 
God (John 1:1). 

By the ' same post which brought the above 
letter, came one from the head of one of the 
largest business corporations in the country. He 
says : 

I thank you sincerely for sending me 
your treatise on "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner," and in the main, I heartily agree 
with the stand 3^ou have taken. I trust 
your campaign will gather momentum and 
effect. If this war should bequeath us a 
truly national anthem, worthy of our land 
and its people, posterity would find in that 
result alone an outcome worthy of the 
cost. And considering the power of music 
over the human soul, they would be right. 

Lloyd George emphasized the same sentiment 
in the press today (September 12, 1918) : 

This must be the last war. . . . There 



52 

is no compromise between freedom and 
tyranny, no compromise between light and 
darkness. I know that it is better to sac- 
rifice one generation, than to sacrifice lib- 
erty forever. That is what we are fight- 
ing for, and Heaven grant that we fight 
through to the end. 
One of our Government officials writes : 

I have just received and read with great 
delight your beautiful, eloquent, and re- 
freshing exposition of true American 
ideals, voiced in your convincing protest 
against the archaic music of "The Star- 
Spanglcd Banner." Your sentiments are 
wholly in accord with mine, as I have 
often expressed them. The music should 
be American in spirit and origin. 

This war is bringing a spirit of better 
understanding, of sympathy and co-opera- 
tion between the hitherto separated, if 
not antagonistic classes of people, and out 
of this spirit will come the evolving of a 
universal democracy. I look forward to 
enfranchised woman as the chief force 
which will enlighten and liberate mankind 
and put an effectual end to war and all 
of its horrors. 

I was a friend of your Uncle Frank's, 
dubbed "Fighting Frank." ... I hail 
3-ou as a brilliant apostle of liberty and 
?end you my hearty salutations on this 
birthday of our political redeemer, La- 
fayette. 
An American sculptor of national and interna- 
tional distinction and the father of two little 
children writes me : 

I am thoroughly in sympathy with you 
and the deep religious impulse that must 
leaven any great movement and such na- 
tions as reach the full consciousness. 
They have entered the Garden of Gethse- 
mane in this great struggle and will be in 
every way sanctified and bettered by it. 



53 

Belgium and Servia and France — and lately 
England — have reached the condition where 
sacrifice is simple and natural and easy 
to all who can have anything to give, 
that their people, freed and incorrupted, 
may go on. America has not yet entered 
this vale of tears; I fervently pray every 
day that America will suffer and be con- 
scious of a loss, for only in this way can 
she get any reward as a nation for the 
sacrifice of her people, as individuals. 

A Supervisor of Music, who is also Director 
of a large orchestral society in a western city,, 
states in his letter to me : 

... I heartily agree with all you say 
in regard to "The Star- Spangled Banner." 
I appreciate your efforts to convince the 
American public of the great mistake they 
would make in adopting the above as their 
national anthem. 

Apart from the imsi^itability of the 
words, with the origin of which most peo- 
ple are familiar, the music to me seems 
absurd. ... In my capacity of Music 
Supervisor for the city, it is my duty to 
saturate the children numbering over 
10,000 with patriotism through song, and, 
of course, am compelled to teach and lead 
in the singing of "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" at all of the - celebrations or com- 
munit}^ meetings. The third verse I have 
eliminated long ago and long for the time 
when some inspiring anthem will replace 
all of the verses of this most unsingable 
of all anthems. 

If it is not asking too much I would 
like to have a number of "The Protest" 
for distribution where I know they would 
do most good. 

Here's hoping that a great many more 
Kitty Cheatham s will come forth and have 
the courage to say what they think in re- 
gard to this subject. 



54 

I quote excerpts from a letter received from 
one of the best known church organists in the 
country: 

I have read your protest with 
very great interest and I entirely agree 
with you that the original association of 
the tune of "The Star-Spanglcd Banner" 
must disbar it as our national anthem. 

It is to be regretted that our country 
was so entirely lacking in the matter of 
good musicians, that this tune came to be 
adopted. 

Musically, it is the despair of profes- 
sionals who have endeavored to harmonize 
it with any coherency or interesting 
feature. . . . 

I had at least one great-grandfather in 
the continental army and my colleagues 
in the society of the Sons of the Revolu- 
tion have offered prizes for the composi- 
tion of a new national anthem, but so far 
none of those submitted have seemed to 
be of value. 

I thank you very much for the privilege 
of reading your very masterly article and 
will be glad if I can be of service to you. 

The great leader of the new Czecho-Slovak 
nation, and a true ambassador of light, which I 
discerned in a personal conversation with him, 
wrote me : "I agree with you that this war is a 
fight not only for political, but for spiritual lib- 
eration as well." Of the hundreds of hymns 
and anthems that have been sent to me for my 
criticism, the following appeals to me as the most 
spiritual, the most soul inspiring, the most dig- 
nified, and the most representative. This anthem 
is entitled "Our America" and published by G. 
Schirmer, New York. It is wholly American and 
expresses the demand of our President for "spir- 
itual ideals." In this hour we are longing for 
light. With the author of this anthem I cry 
out, "God keep it pure !" and with every effort 
at my command I declare, this Light shall endure. 



55 
I quote the anthem in full : 

(§xvl Amrrtra 

America, America, thou gavest birth " 

To light that lighteth all the earth. 

God keep it pure ! 
We love that onward leading light ; 
We will defend it with our might; 

It shall endure! 

America, America, our love of thee 
Is freemen's love of Liberty, 

The Spirit-blest, 
Which holds high happiness in store, 
When Right shall reign from shore to shore, 

From East to West. 

America, America, thy seer-graved seal 
Foretells the perfect Commionweal 

Of God-made men; 
Its eagle with unwearied wings 
Is symbol of the thought-seen things 

Of prophets' ken. 

America, America, on-pressing van 
Of all the hopes of waking man, 

We love thy flag! — 
Thy stately flag of steadfast stars. 
And white, close held to heart-red bars, 

Which none shall drag ! 

America, America, in thee is found 
Manasseh's tribe, to Ephraim bound. 

By Israel's vow. 
Whose destiny is heaven-sealed ; 
Far-spreading vine in fruitful field. 

God's planting, thou ! 

America, America, faith-shadowed land, 
Truth dwells in thee, and Truth shall stand 

To guard thy gate. 
Thy planted seed of potent good 
Shall grow to world-wide brotherhood, 

Man's true estate. 



56 

America, America, the God of love, 
Whose name is ev'ry name above, 

Is thy defense. 
'Tis thou must lead the longing world 
From phantom fears to Love's unfurled 
Omnipotence.* 

If all seven verses are not sung it is suggested 
that the first, fourth, sixth and seventh be 
used. 

I have never swerved from my unceasing ef- 
forts to hold aloft these ideals in my art and 
I shall continue my untiring endeavor to impart 
them to the children of this new era. A child's 
consciousness is virgin soil and every seed that 
is planted will bring forth its fruitage. The 
spiritually equipped teachers will see the result 
of their faithful stewardship in the springing 
forth of the immortal blossoms of love, joy,, 
purity, unity, unselfishness — each are constituents 
of the spiritual armor, which will make our chil- 
dren invulnerable citizens of world-wide divine 
democracy. 

They who are propagating this false teaching 
— who are implanting in this receptive conscious- 
ness the noxious weeds of "foul . . . pollution," 
"rockets' red glare, . . . bombs bursting in air," 
"foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes," will 
reap what they sow. These mental pictures will 
continue to externalize themselves in war and 
all for which war stands. But the "light that 
lighteth all the earth" is dawning upon the Amer- 
ican consciousness and will dispel the darkness 
or false material thinking. 

We are the United States of America and 
our God-made and God-won unity cannot be 
disrupted by such sentiments, nor can the chil- 
dren of this nation — nor the childhood of the 
world — be held in bondage to what they express. 
I came in close contact with thousands of our 
foreign born children, in work that I did in many 

*Alice Morgan Harrison. 



57 

of our large public schools. All the serious 
European problems— anarchy, Bolsheviki social- 
ism-^are smouldering m miniature among many 
of these children and young people. They are 
the living lesson books for their families, who 
generally do not know Enghsh and are unwilling 
to accustom themselves to conditions which the 
law of progress and our national standards are 
demandmg of the children. 

We do not wish to continue the Bolshevik 
mentality which will always end in anarchy. It 
must be rooted out of the plastic consciousness 
of these children. In its place pure democratic 
ideals must be instilled. If these children are 
to become our future citizens, they must become 
obedient t\) the laws of our land, and not con- 
tinue to be subordinate to foreign autocracy. 

Let me add one final word. Woe ! ! Woe ! ! to 
all who are masquerading as American citizens 
upholding democracy, while they are ignorantly 
or maliciously supporting autocracv. The efful- 
gence of the oncoming Light heralds the noon- 
day of divine democracy. The darkness which 
"The Star-Spangled Banner" has so long ex- 
pressed is dispelled, and the new era appears. 

New York, September 13, 1918. 



58 

274 Madison Avenue, 

New York City. 

September 30, 1918. 
My dear Mr. L. . . ; — 

There is no power in any resistance to the 
immutable law of God and to His Christ. Truth 
will finally rule mankind. Good is now ruling 
out evil, as is evidenced in the world-war. Christ 
is destroying that which has no right to exist, 
viz., sin and death, in individual and universal 
consciousness. 

America, through Americans, is now demand- 
ing an ideal standard. They are revolting against 
the reversal of democracy, which has at last been 
exposed as nothing more nor less than human 
autocracy. They refuse longer to voice senti- 
ments in word or song, which they heretofore 
ignorantly accepted, and to which they submit- 
ted, until compelled by spiritual progress to re- 
sist. 

If this is "the land of the free and the home 
of the brave," let every American be "free" to 
denounce low standards, viz., hate, envy, greed, 
and human autocracy as suggested in some of 
the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner." 

Let us hope that there is a majority of Ameri- 
can men and women of spiritual aspirations and 
nobility of character, who are "brave" enough 
to defend our nation and the coming generation, 
from all who are attempting to deprive our 
country of an anthem, which would breathe the 
sentiments of true American manhood and 
womanhood. 

\\'oc ! \\'oc ! to all who are unwilling to obey 
the immutable, irresistible law of righteousness. 
The people cannot be forever lulled or deceived 
by those who are attempting to defend the sen- 
timents of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by quot- 
ing the last lines of the poem, "our cause it is 
just," and "in God is our trust !" The efforts 
to obscure the insidious suggestions of the death- 
dealing mis«;ilc>, "the rockets' red glare, . . . 
bombs bursting in air," "foul footsteps' pollu- 
tion," and "the foe's haughty host in dread si- 



59 
icncc reposes," are discerned and will be de- 
stroyed by the word of God, through Christ, who 
"is on ihc held, when he is most invisible." 

I quote from your letter, "the good old pagan 
Greeks were worthy models for us. . . . man 
creates God in his own image." The Kaiser says 
he puts his trust in God and he is constantly ap- 
pealing to this god of his own creating. Are 
you and I. dear Mr. L . . ., obe3-ing the divine 
■command, "I am the Lord thy God. . . . Thou 
shalt have no other gods [power] before me" — 
eternal Life, Love, and Truth? 

With Paul, 1 have the moral courage to say 
to the scoffers of this hour, "THE UNKNOWN 
GOD, Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship. 
Him declare I unto you" (Acts 17:23). Do Amer- 
icans express God — omnipotent good — eternal 
Life and Love through the words of "The Star- 
Spangled Banner," which breathe the sentiments 
of animosity and all the qualities of the carnal 
mentality in its opening verses? 

I know that "The Star-Spangled Banner" can 
never be adopted permanently as our National 
Anthem. How do I know this? Because God — 
-omnipotent wisdom and intelligence, the God of 
prophets, seers, Christ Jesus, Mary Baker Eddy, 
and their followers who possess the Mind ol 
Christ — spiritual power — will prevent it. The God 
of justice and mei*cy is not expressed in a con- 
tradiction of Himself. 

Through the Associated Press of September 
25th was received this message from General 
Alhnby: "Otir cavalry have rescued Nazareth 
whose supermen described Christianity as a creed 
for slaves." One cannot fail to perceive the 
glorious spiritual significance of this tremendous 
statement. In the New York "Times" of Sep- 
tember 26th, Alfred Noyes writes these lines: 
The Emperor mocked at Nazareth 

In his almighty hour. 
The Slave that bowed himself to death 
.^nd walked with slaves in Nazareth, 
What were His words but wasted breath 
Before that "will to power." 



60 

The trumpet blows in Nazareth. 

The Slave is risen again! 
Across the bitter wastes of death, 
The horsemen ride from Naaareth. 
And the Power we mocked as wasted breath 

Returns, in power, to reign; 
Rides on, in white, through Nazareth, 

To save His world again. 

The hour of restoration of all that is real and 
eternal is at hand. America will eventually be- 
come "the land of the free." I claim and shall 
exercise my divine prerogative to voice my right- 
eous convictions. I claim the liberty of a follower 
of Christ to protest against evil in all its forms 
and to establish justice, honesty, and righteous- 
ness. I denounce license, but I demand the 
privilege of an American citizen to speak, act 
and live according to the law of right and jus- 
tice. I cannot submit to nor promulgate anything 
that is opposed to Truth, so far as I understand 
Truth. 

On one side of the entrance of the Public 
Library on Fifth Avenue is inscribed: "Beauty, 
old yet ever new, eternal voice and inward man." 
On the other side of the entrance is inscribed: 
"But above all things Truth beareth away the 
victory." With the liberal and beautiful decora- 
tions, which during the war have appeared on 
Fifth Avenue, these reminders of the eternal 
Power and presence, or a God of Truth and 
Love, are the only ones I have seen on this ave- 
nue. Truth is no longer on the scaffold. The 
new era will float banners upon which will be 
inscribed reminders of an ever present God in 
whom we trust, and who, according to His prom- 
ise, will deliver us from evil. 

Again I repeat, that I refuse to implant in the 
pure, plastic thought of the children of our na- 
tion, the seedlings of autocracy, hypocrisy, "foul 
footsteps' pollution." and all the discordant qual- 
ities which "The Star-Spangled Banner" ex- 
presses. I shall continue to teach and to insist 
upon the necessity of implanting in the virgin 



61 

soil of the child consciousness, the healthy seed- 
lings of Truth, honesty, purity, unselfed love,, 
trust in God — the eternal Father — all that stands 
for health, joy, holiness, harmony, and immor- 
tality. 

Woe ! Woe ! be unto all who resist Truth — 
Christ. Let Americans be "brave" and permit 
me my right to follow the dictates of my own 
spiritual convictions. 

There are a large number of patriotic Ameri- 
cans who recognize the great issues of this hour. 
They are loyal to the spiritual ideals, upon which 
this nation was founded, and they agree with 
our President in his repeated emphasis for the 
necessity of rising to uphold and support these 
higher and spiritual ideals. 

They will continue to demand and they will 
obtain their inalienable rights of conscience and 
freedom to exercise these rights. That they have 
not been permitted to voice their convictions on 
this vital subject is a* proof that our nation is 
still held in bonds of human autocracy and is not 
yet "the land of the free and the home of the 
brave." Let us be honest as a people. Let us 
be true to ourselves, then it will follow "thou 
canst not then be false to any man." 

October 1st. I was prevented from finishing 
this letter last night, and again am rejoiced to 
find, that President Wilson, as announced through 
the press today, has once more been sniritually 
moved to speak with solemn emphasis upon the 
imperative necessity of the rising of our nation 
to uphold the standard of pure democracy, upon 
which it was founded. I do not feel that it was 
a chance correlation that I was impelled to write 
you at the same hour that the President was 
addressing his e'reat message, in defense of 
woman, to the United States Senate, which is 
supposed to represent the highest democratic 
governing body in the world. 

Henr these divinely inspired words of Presi- 
dent Wilson : 

This is a peoples' war, and the peoples' 
thinking constitutes its atmosphere and 



62 

morale. . . . If we be indeed democrats,, 
and wish to leave the world to democracy, 
we can ask other peoples to accept in 
proof of our sincerity and our abihty to- 
lead them whither they wish to be led 
nothing less persuasive and convincing 
than our actions. . . . 

If we reject measures like this in ignor- 
ant defiance of what a new age has 
brought forth, of what they have seen, but 
we have not, they will cease to believe in 
us; they will cease to follow or to trust 
us. . . . 

The problems . . . will strike to the 
roots of many things that we have not 
hitherto questioned. . . . We shall need' 
their [woman'.s] moral sense ... to- 
discover just what it is that ought to be 
purified and reformed. . . . 

This is my appeal. ... No one can 
brush aside or answer the arguments upon 
which it is based. The executive tasks 
of this war rest upon me. I ask that 3'ou^ 
lighten them and place in my hands instru- 
ments, spiritual instruments, which I do 
not now possess, which I sorely need, and 
which I have daily to apologize for not 
being able to employ. 

Alas that any one should contine to try to- 
hold this nation in bondage. Alas for the "Phar- 
isees" who are crying democracy from the 
"housetops" and who are forcing the Chief Ex- 
ecutive of this nation to "apologize" to its people, 
because he is prevented by dense autocratic mate- 
rialists, masquerading as representatives of de- 
mocracy, from using the "spiritual instruments" 
— they who are fighting to uphold the "spiritual 
ideals" of this nation — to aid him in discovering 
what should be "purified" in our national con- 
sciousness. 

That there are many spiritual thinkers today 
who are daring to voice their honest convictions 
is apparent. I quote from an article by Mar- 
garet Sherwood, entitled, "For Democracy," and 



63 

which appeared in the October number of the 
"Atlantic Monthly." In touching upon the Amer- 
icanization of the alien, she writes: 

What have we been doing, we citizens of 
longer standing, to whom has been entrust- 
ed the starry flag? ... As our young 
men fight in the fields of France for an 
ideal, we should be fighting at home to 
bring into clearer vision of ourselves and 
others, the nature of that ideal. To this 
task of enlightenment we need to bend 
every energy, for an unintelligent democ- 
racy is the worst foe civilization has ever 
had. ... 

The air is full of notes of exhortation 
and of song ushering in a new era. There 
is with us a consciousness of a need of 
reconsecration, of refreshing ourselves at 
the deeper sources of our national well- 
being, of defining afresh for ourselves and 
sharing with others the great and simple 
hope of democracy in its purity. 

A letter recently received from one of the 
most noted educators of this country states : 
I am inclined to believe that a large per- 
centage of the people agree with you in 
all you say with regard to "The Star-Span- 
gled Banner," and a great many more 
would see light if they would only think 
as they sing. So many people sing this, 
song without ever giving a thought to the 
words and what they convey. In teaching 
children a new song I firmly believe in 
scanning the poem to see what it contains, 
and I think adults should be treated the 
same way and shown what poem scansion 
means to them. . . . 

As you are aware, a great many people 
are afraid to say what they think in re- 
gard to the song in question, and the longer 
the war lasts the less they will express 
their feelings. I have yet to find one out 
of the many readers of your "Protest" here 



64 

that does not agree with you, but they dare 
not open their mouths in some cases: 

For instance, the dean of the Music De- 
partment in a local college, a close friend 
of mine, is forbidden by the president to 
express his feehngs in the matter. But for 
that I have no doubt your "Protest," or at 
least excerpts from it, would have appeared 
in a local paper. In answer to a question, 
. he said that he heartily agreed with you 
but must keep his views to himself and 
keep out of the public eye. I myself, be- 
ing in the capacity of a public servant,, 
am not allowed to air my views as 1 would 
like to. 

So you see that while you have many 
sympathizers in the matter, it may be a 
hard thing to get them to take up the 
cudgels and fight. 

I noticed your statement in regard to the 
Constituted Authorities of New York de- 
manding that the children be compelled to- 
learn the song in school. It may interest 
you to know that I had a somewhat simi- 
lar experience last winter in ... . 

A society of women designating them- 
selves as the "Parent Teachers' Council"" 
met, proposed, seconded and unanimously 
agreed thnt the children of the city should 
be compelled to memorize the words of 
"The Star-Spangled Banner." A full ac- 
count of the proceedings was mailed to the 
Board of Education with a demand that 
the music teachers in school be command- 
ed to teach the song at once. There was 
nothing snid about the music of the song, 
but the Board concluded that it was a 
matter for me to handle, and in about two 
minutes I convinced them that T was ful- 
fillinc: mv duties here to the children and 
public alike and that was the last that was 
heard of it. 

It would interest you to know, no doubt, that 
I am in receipt of a letter from Queen Mary of 



65 

England in which she states that she has read 
my pamphlet, "Words and Music of 'The Star- 
Spangled Banner' Oppose the Spirit of Democ- 
racy which the Declaration of Independence Em- 
bodies," and assures me of her interest in it, and 
also her interest in the words of the new Na- 
tional Anthem, "Our America." 

There is a divine power working which will 
•establish an American National Anthem. Anj^ 
resistance to the law of spiritual progress is 
futile. The hour of decision is come. One must 
either follow in the line of light and righteous- 
ness or remain in mental darkness, which per- 
petuates war and its barbarous results. America 
will not remain in mental darkness. 

You say, dear Mr. L . . ., that you teach music 
to children. Do you realize your responsibility 
and obligation to the children of this new era? 
What reply would you make to a little child 
who asked you the meaning of the words, "foul 
footsteps' pollution" or "the foe's haughty host 
in dread silence reposes"? There are many think- 
ing mothers who are awaking and who are re- 
sisting this despotic autocracy, which is endeav- 
oring to force them to impress upon the minds 
of their children the vicious mental pictures 
which "The Star-Spangled Banner" expresses. 
They recognize the divine necessity of keeping 
the thoughts of their children pure, in order to 
make them good citizens, and they are, in this 
hour, crying out for a higher standard — the true 
expression of America's claim to democracy 
through a National Anthem, which will incite to 
that which is good and pure. 

Americans are beginning to understand, that 
only through insistence upon implanting the right 
thoughts in the child's consciousness can the 
right results be obtained. They are realizing 
that things are the manifestation of thoughts. 
Like cause, like effect. Thoughts evolve phe- 
nomena and phenomena are the result of 
thoughts. Paul says, "To be carnally minded is 
death: but to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace" (Romans 8:6). I rejoice that thinkers 



66 

are coming forth who apprehend thatj^ by think- 
ing and singing evil thoughts, they will obje,c- 
tify those thoughts, and such conditions as we 
are witnessing today in the world-war, will' con- 
tinue. 

America will finally awake to spiritual think- 
ing, which will reveal "a new heaven and a new 
earth" wherein dwelleth righteousness and where- 
in "there shall be no more death, neither sor- 
row, nor crying, neither shall there be any more 
pain: for the former things [thoughts] arc 
passed away" (Revelation 21:1, 4). 

The musical director of one of the largest 
military camps in this country writes me : 

I wish that you could have been present 
on the evening that we sang "Our Ameri- 
ca" at Camp . . . Many of the men in 
the audience were sailing for France be- 
fore da3dight, and all of them left before 
the week was out and their treasured copies 
are overseas by this time. They learned 
this beautiful National Anthem quickly and 
gratefully. . . . 

Who can tell how far the influence thus 
sent into operation may spread ! You are 
indeed doing a splendid thing in standing 
out so strongly, as you do, for the right 
principles of Truth and Love in this day 
when the world seems convulsed by the 
forces of evil, and the Anthem, "Our Amer- 
ica," places the right emphasis on the con- 
structive power of true patriotism, rather 
than on the destructive power of false pa- 
triotism. May its influence for good con- 
tinue to grow ! 

After a recent patriotic gathering at the home 
9f a well-known banker in New York City, 1 
received this word from my host : 

I am glad if I have been helpful to your 
cause, and particularly to the bringing out 
of the new National Anthem which I hope 
will be generally adopted. I entirely agree 



67 

with you ; in fact I have had this feeling 
for over fift}^ years with the idea, of trying 
to cure evil rather than seek revenge. It 
may be interesting to you to know that I 
expressed these sentiments before I came 
to this countr}^, and I have now been here 
over fifty years. 

The president of one of the largest trust com- 
panies in America has just written me : 

I have read with great interest your pam- 
phlet concerning "The Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" -and I appreciate the high-mindedness 
of your position. ... I agree with you 
that a great many of the songs that are 
held dear by the community are not those 
that contain the highest sentiments. . . . 

Your ideas interest me very much and I 
shall appreciate it highly if you will give 
us five minutes of your time some morning 
to talk or sing to the employees of this 
company. 

From the far Northwest comes a letter from a 
writer of special articles and short stories for 
magazines and newspapers : 

I read with the greatest interest 3^our 
masterly "Protest." It is indeed timely and 
voices the sentiments of many earnest 
souls. That it will accomplish a vast 
amount of good and bring about a badly 
needed reform, is my firm belief. . . . 

Your wonderful gifts of song and pen — 
your fine brain, your fearless soul and pure 
heart tell me that you can accomplish any- 
thing you choose. 

I am glad that you have lived, that you 
live and that you will live forever ! 

Your "Protest" will prove very valuable 
to me in making quotations. I will wel- 
come eagerly any further communication 
which you may choose to send. 

Again thanking you for the good you 
are doing in helping to bring the sad world 



' 68 

into the light and sunshine of Truth and 
Love, 1 am, .... 

The Governor of a near-by State, which has 
been the center of many of the most important 
events of our national history, writes me.: 

May I express to you my sincere grati- 
tude for your most valued letter and article 
which you were good enough to mail me 
concerning the importance of a proper in- 
terpretation of the spirit of America in 
the songs of our people? I have read what 
you have sent with great interest and profit, 
and I trust that you will continue your 
propaganda until our whole people, march- 
ing and singing will rise to the highest 
plane of patriotic endeavor. 

A business woman, the secretary to the presi- 
dent of a banking institution of international 
inter'est, writes : . 

Will you kindly send, me several copies 
of your "Protest" so that I may circulate 
them among those who are hungering for 
just this message? . . . Today, yester- 
day, and on other occasions I have sent 
this petition to God, my Guide ; "Grant to 
Kitty Cheatham an answer to her work 
and prayers, and to all who arc working 
for higher ideals, so that America may 
awake to a song which is the expression 
of the highest, noblest thinking." 

Yours in the interest of the hearts of 
humanity. 

A Chinese scholar, an editor of the most widely 
read Chinese weekly in the world, writes me : 

It gave me much profit and interest to 
read your pamphlets. They gave me a new 
thought about the "Words and Music of 
'The Star-Spangled Banner.' " 

May I have the honor to get better ac- 
quainted with you in the future? . . . 
Trusting that success will come to voh i-n 
your enterprises. ... 



69 

I have just received a letter from a member 
of the Greek Parliament, who is now in America, 
representing officially, the Hellenic Government^ 
from which I quote the following : 

I am deeply impressed and touched by 
your mighty protest against autocracy. 

I stand by your side in your very noble 
effort to destroy a false connection be- 
tween Greece and America, as suggested 
by the degeneracy of the original words 
of "The Star-Spangled Banner," "To An- 
acreon in Heaven." 

Our nations are eternally united through 
their ceaseless effort to establish divine de- 
mocracy. The same spirit which stirred 
Paul to make his mighty protest 1900 years 
ago on Mars' hill, against the autocracy 
and idolatry which were holding the men 
of Athens in bondage, is the spirit which 
you voice in your protest. 

It is the spirit which your President 
voices. America and Greece, and all men 
"of one blood" (Spirit) are united through 
this Spirit, whose mighty power is ending 
this war. 

I was glad to have your new, noble 
American Anthem, "Our America," whose 
beautiful sentiments will redeem the world. 

I assure you that as a Greek I am very 
grateful for your sincere interest in our 
country and in our cause. Hellenism will 
recognize your support. 

These are a very few of the many letters- 
which I have received from all parts of America 
and from Europe. You must see, dear Mr. L . . ., 
that "God [is] within the shadow, keeping watch 
above His own," and that Christ's ambassadors 
are being revealed throughout the world. They, 
with all who love righteousness, will put an end 
to this hellish war and the satanic forces tha» 
caused it. 

Sincerely yours, 
(Signed) KITTY CHEATHAM. 



70 



274 Madison Avenue, 
New York City. 

November 12, 191& 
My dear Mrs. H...: — 

I am in receipt of your letter of November 
fifth and regret that important matters have pre- 
vented me from sending you an immediate reply. 

I appreciate your frankness in teHing me of 
your resistance to the subject matter of my pam- 
phlet, "Words and Music of 'The Star-Spangled 
Banner' Oppose the Spirit of Democracy which 
the Declaration of Independence Embodies." You 
say : 

I think that you are quite mistaken as to 
any injurious effects it (the singing of "The 
•Star-Spangled Banner") might have on the 
minds of children or even the public. The 
words . . . embody the spirit of patri- 
otism and I think that this is all the sing- 
ing stands for. . . . The meaning you 
have written into it does not appear to me 
at all ; it seems to me that it has occurred 
to no one else either ... I am writing 
this letter ... as a protest against the 
publication of such pamphlets . . . 
when we need to meet with a united front, 
as well as with guns, the common enemy. 
Dear Mrs. H. . ., I am sure that you will bear 
with me if I claim for myself the same prerog- 
ative of freedom of thought and speech which 
has impelled your letter to me. It is incredible — 
impossible — to conceive, at this stupendous and 
solemn hour of spiritual unfoldment, that a wom- 
an, whose position of academic authority gives 
her the sacred privilege of training the young 
women of the future, should resist the destruc- 
tion of the qualities of the carnal mind which 

Copyright, 1918. by Kitty Cheatham 



71 

the original words and music, and many of the 
present words of "The Star-Spangled Banner'* 
express. The "foul pollution" of hatred, bru- 
tality, strife, and the drunkenness of revenge and 
animahty shall not be poured into the receptive 
mentality of our young girls. These citizens of 
the new era need the invulnerable armor of 
purity and spiritual realization to enable them to 
cope intelligently with the problems they will be 
called upon to meet. 

The solution of these problems will demand 
a scientific understanding of the great Principle 
of being, and this nation will be quickly awak- 
ened to the imperative necessity for gaining a 
knowledge of this Principle — God. 

Just here permit me to quote the words of 
Mary Baker Eddy, who sounded the bugle call 
of spiritual emancipation when she discovered 
and founded Christian Science, in 1866, and rose 
to claim her divinely royal prerogative to repre- 
sent her Creator and to be an executor of God's 
law. At this momentous hour, when all man- 
made dvnasties are crumbling, these words of 
Mrs. Eddy's are of stupendous import: 

. . . More than repeal is the majesty of 
the meekness of the Christ-principle; and 
its might is the ever-flowing tides of truth 
that sweep the universe, create and govern 
it; and its radiant stores of knowledge are 
the mysteries of exhaustless being. Seek 
ye these till you make their treasures 
yours (Miscellany, p. 149). 
. . . renounce aggression, oppression 
and the pride of power. Christianity, with 
the crown of Love upon her brow, must 
be their nneen of life (Science and 
Health, p. 451). 

The law of God will silence all opposition to 
the uncoverine of the subtlest phases of evil — 
the discord which has masqueraded long enough 
as harmony, under the guise of a song repre- 
senting the sentiments of true Americans. These 
thoughts were surging through my consciousness 



72 

with renewed conviction yesterday, as the Presi- 
dent was reading the peace terms to Congress. 
I wrote down a few sentences at that time and 
am impressed that the President enunciates these 
ideas in his address. Let me quote his words: 

The peoples who have just come out 
under the yoke of arbitrary government 
will never find the treasures of liberty 
they are in search of if they look for them 
by the light of the torch. They will find 
that every pathway that is stained with 
the blood of their own brothers leads to 
the wilderness, not to the seat of their 
hope. They are now face to face with their 
initial test. We must hold the light steady 
until they find themselves. . . . 

Permit me to add that the American nation 
will never find this "treasure of liberty" for her- 
self as long as "bombs bursting in air," and 
"rockets' red glare" continues to be sung, nor 
can she "hold the light steady" for other nations 
to "find themselves," until this "light* that light- 
eth all the earth" — upon which she was founded, 
rings out through her national anthem. America 
is now face to face with her initial test. In an 
editorial from today's "Tribune," headed "What 
Destiny?" we read these significant words: 

To one of the wisest men in the world, we 
were stating a case of impatience. The 
country had been at war six months and 
everybody was running to and fro. 

"But we cannot lose the war." he said. 
"The great danger is that in spite of every- 
thing, we shall win it too soon and too eas- 
ily and be not enough chastened. . . ." 
Wc have won it too easily. The war, in 
fact, has hardly touched us. Surely, there- 
fore, this war was not for us the great 
adventure. Destiny must have reserved for 

*The Truth which Christ Jesus taught and 
demonstrated. 



73 

us an errand that shall reallv try our 
strength. 

In tonight's issue of the "Evening Sun" ap- 
pears an editorial headed, "A Shameful Orgy."^ 
It states that "the celebration of the signing of 
the armistice in New York degenerated into dis- 
order that can only be called a shameful orgy. 
Similar happenings are reported from many 
other cities in all parts of the country. The 
event is a severe comment upon our civilization. 
. . . The British had their lesson years ago 
on Mafeking Night and profited by it. We must 
learn." 

As chronicled in today's press, the words of the 
Premier of Great Britain were, "It is a wonder- 
ful victory for liberty ... let us thank God 
for it." He then suggested that the House of 
Commons immediately adjourn and hold a spe- 
cial service of prayer and thanksgiving. 

November 14. — I put down my pen at midnight 
and am again rejoiced to find, this morning, 
through the Associated Press, that the quick 
desire to give <Sod the glory for victory was 
emphasized in all the sentiments which were ex- 
pressed by the British Premier, as briefly indi- 
cated in this significant headline, "Lloyd George 
Against Vengeance Peace" (New York "Times"). 
"What are the principles on which this settle- 
ment is to be effected" he asked, in his address 
to his Liberal supporters on November IL "Are 
we to lapse back into the old national rivalries, 
animosities, and competitive armaments, or are 
we to initiate the reign on earth of the Prince 
of Peace? . . . No sentiment that contravenes 
the principles of eternal justice will be a perma- 
nent one. . . . We must not allow any sense 
of revenge, any spirit of greed, any grasping de- 
sire to override the principles of righteousness. 
. . . We must relentlessly set our faces against 
that." 

These two pictures of America and England 
in their hour of victory are of solemn and sig- 
nificant import, and suggest the necessity for a 



74 

quick spiritual awakening in our national con- 
sciousness. This nation is indeed, in the words 
of President Wilson, "face to face with their 
(its) initial test." It needs to ponder well the 
words of the Psalmist: "Search me, O God, and 
know my heart : try me, and know my thoughts : 
and see if there be any wicked way in me, and 
lead me in the way everlasting." 

This morning's mail brings me a letter from 
a well-known journalist, extracts from which I 
feel impelled to quote : 

Your noble booklet has cheered me and will 
do good as the truth cannot fail to do. 
. . . Give to the world a glorious na- 
tional anthem — a true Liberty hymn. . . . 
Such sentiments as are expressed in "Our 
America" can be sung by British, Germans, 
— all people. Let them all have it as they 
have the Sermon on the Mount and the 
Ten Commandments. The question of who 
does have it is less important than that of 
what use is made of this glorious har- 
mony. . . . The "Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" is ridiculous from literar}^ and musical 
points of view — and moreover it is not our 
national anthem for it has never been 
adopted by our National Legislature. 

I trust, my dear Mrs. H..., that the "Victory 
Day" phenomena in New York City, and through- 
out other parts of our country — the externalized 
expression of all that the "Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" means — may quicken you to the necessity 
of protecting the young people in your charge 
against the insidious mental inoculation of. the 
qualities of the "carnal mind" which were liber- 
ated in this "shameful orgy" and which will ulti- 
mately manifest themselves in famine, pestilence, 
sin, disease and death. "To be carnally minded 
is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace" (St. Paul). I again repeat that this war 
is a mental war. It has not ceased for those who 
are still indulging these carnal mind qualities. 
The legitimate heritage of these precious children 



75 

in your care — ^^and of all the children of God — is 
the "fruit of the Spirit . . . love, joy, peace," 
etc. This heritage reveals to them the meaning 
of true patriotism and shows them how to meet 
the "common enemy" with a "united front" and 
the spiritual ammunition of Truth and Love. 
The love of country then becomes a spontaneous 
joy to them. One day, and soon, I hope that 
you and they may unite with me — and all of 
God's children who know the glorious meaning 
of this new era — in singing: 

America, America, the God of love, 
Whose name is ev'ry name above, 

Is thy defense. 
'Tis thou must lead the longing world 
From phantom fears, to Love's unfurled 

Omnipotence.* 

Sincerely yours, i 

(Signed) KITTY CHEATHAM. 



[This letter is written to the Principal of a 
well-known school for girls.] 



* The words of the National Hymn, "Our 
America," by Alice Morgan Harrison. 



The following extract is from a letter which I 
recently received from an editorial writer on 
one of the most important daily newspapers in 
this country. I have met this gentleman only 
once, when our mutual interest in Community 
Singing brought about an interview and his in- 
telligent summing up of what is in the minds of 
many people today is especially significant at 
this hour. His letter is entirely unsolicited and 
spontaneous, and is therefore of particular value : 

Somehow, until a few days ago only one patri- 
otic musical work has thrilled me. It is "The 
Marseillaise." But the other day when for the 
first time it seemed that the war was really near 
the end, a silent joy crept over me and in that 
spirit 1 found myself whistling "Our America." 
It had come unconsciously to me, borne of the 
spirit of peace. What more need I say of it? 
What more could I say of it?* Is it not like 
that "still small voice"? 

I wonder if the boys as they come home will 
not sing it spontaneously? 

When this war is ended, it seems to me, the 
things that recall it will not be cherished as they 
have been in the past wars. The reason is that 
this is a loathesome, horrible war. Only the end 
sought contains beauty, and that end is perma- 
nent peace and love. So. in the future that end- 
ing will be celebrated and remembered — and it 
alone. In years to come what will the "Star- 
Spanglcd Banner" recall? Weeks and months, 
even years of suspense, dread, bereavement — will 
these things m^ke it dearer to the people? I 
do not think so. It does not contain sufficient 
depth to express the feelings of the people. Its 
words cannot be stressed fervently as in impas- 
sioned prayer, because it is mostly narrative. But 
"Our America" is an apostrophe to the country 
— a coimtry now endeared to all the world. All 
nations can sing it with as much fervency as 



we can. Even what is left of Germany may 
sing it, for they must reaHze sooner or later 
that America has saved them. 

Of course, I do not want to appear biased in 
favor of this anthem. I shall hold my mind 
open to receive anything that may be better suited 
for the honor of tlje country. But I shall say 
that so far, I have heard of none so noble as 
"Our America." I have the highest esteem for 
those who created it, and I praise those who 
spread it among the people. 

I trust that you are continuing your good work. 

(Signed) . 

Nov. 4, 1918. 



H 19 894 








"-u '""' S" ... ^'u "''•'' 4y 



\ 















^oK 







^^vnc>^' 






^ 



-Ko *.-?r*- A 



















O 




